6/107 Nicole Freres Keywound Serial No 36495 circa 1858 Restoration Diary
Bought privately in December 2023 as part of a job lot of nine assorted musical boxes.
Runs quite well, but there are some issues with the mechanism and with the case and the tune sheet is held on with drawing pins.
Runs quite well, but there are some issues with the mechanism and with the case and the tune sheet is held on with drawing pins.
Restoration began 11th April 2024
The Case
In good overall condition. All stringing in place.
Some relatively minor losses to the marquetry plus all four corners of the lid are partly detached, however on closer inspection the lipping has been replaced badly so it needs to be replaced again along with the outer band of stringing.
No key for the lock.
In good overall condition. All stringing in place.
Some relatively minor losses to the marquetry plus all four corners of the lid are partly detached, however on closer inspection the lipping has been replaced badly so it needs to be replaced again along with the outer band of stringing.
No key for the lock.
The Marquetry Close Up
There is some damage to repair followed by a re-polish while the mechanism is completed by The Music Box Restorer
There is some damage to repair followed by a re-polish while the mechanism is completed by The Music Box Restorer
I discovered that the edge lips had all been replaced - badly - at some stage, so they need doing properly.
Then the serious micro surgery can be done
First few coats of shellac
Finished 14th November 2024
Markings
Serial No 36495
Gamme No 8691
Nicole Freres stamped into the brass bedplate and the steel comb
Serial No 36495
Gamme No 8691
Nicole Freres stamped into the brass bedplate and the steel comb
The dampers were all in place, but needed some adjustment.
The Mechanism
Before Cleaning
Note: scratched on the end of the great wheel 'AJD Repinned 426' We think this means that the cylinder was re-pinned in April 1926.
Note: scratched on the end of the great wheel 'AJD Repinned 426' We think this means that the cylinder was re-pinned in April 1926.
28th May 2024
And so the cleaning begins
And so the cleaning begins
Polishing the cylinder
Above are all the components that go together to make this mechanism. See below for close ups
Top left: The spring and arbor with left cylinder bearing
Bottom left: The spring motor case, bearings, Geneva stopworks, ratchet, pawl and spring
Centre top: Cylinder, arbor with great wheel attached, return spring, drive gear, pin, drive pin, snail cam and tune change lever
Centre: The brass bedplate
Bottom centre: The comb and below that the three control rods - 1: Change/Repeat; 2. Start/Stop; 3. Lock
Top right: four brass washers and four screws to hold the mechanism into the case, with right cylinder arbor
Centre right: The governor mechanism (see below)
Bottom right: Eights screws and washers that hold the comb in place
Top left: The spring and arbor with left cylinder bearing
Bottom left: The spring motor case, bearings, Geneva stopworks, ratchet, pawl and spring
Centre top: Cylinder, arbor with great wheel attached, return spring, drive gear, pin, drive pin, snail cam and tune change lever
Centre: The brass bedplate
Bottom centre: The comb and below that the three control rods - 1: Change/Repeat; 2. Start/Stop; 3. Lock
Top right: four brass washers and four screws to hold the mechanism into the case, with right cylinder arbor
Centre right: The governor mechanism (see below)
Bottom right: Eights screws and washers that hold the comb in place
Close up of the assemblies. Hover over an image for a description.
Main assemblies reunited with the bedplate
30th May 2024
The Spring Motor went to have a new male Geneva component made to fit, then the mechanism was taken to The Music Box Restorer on 10th June for work on the comb and governor. Returned on 5th September. Meanwhile I began to restore the case.
The Spring Motor went to have a new male Geneva component made to fit, then the mechanism was taken to The Music Box Restorer on 10th June for work on the comb and governor. Returned on 5th September. Meanwhile I began to restore the case.
3rd October 2025
The box, now complete, remained in the house until I took it to an AMBC Meeting at Coultershaw in August 2025. It was found that the tunes played softly part way through, something I'd not noticed before. The diagnosis was that the pitch was not evenly distributed within the cylinder so I took the box back to James Preddy who heated and re-spun the cylinder, adding some more pitch (cement) and re-honing the pins. I collected it again on 3rd October and it's now working perfectly.
The box, now complete, remained in the house until I took it to an AMBC Meeting at Coultershaw in August 2025. It was found that the tunes played softly part way through, something I'd not noticed before. The diagnosis was that the pitch was not evenly distributed within the cylinder so I took the box back to James Preddy who heated and re-spun the cylinder, adding some more pitch (cement) and re-honing the pins. I collected it again on 3rd October and it's now working perfectly.