Cartels

Cuendet 8/123 Sublime Piccolo

A Cartel is a term given to larger movements, often in fancy inlaid boxes, but some of the best are in plain fruitwood boxes. The word Cartel is used because the components were often made as part of a cottage industry and then brought to a factory to be assembled.
They are shown here in the order of size (number of tunes to number of teeth). 
Some are now fully restored, some in the process of restoration and some awaiting restoration.
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​Click on the red highlighted heading or text to see more about that particular box and where it is in the restoration programme.

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12/195 Lecoultre Freres - Scottish aires - circa 1862

Fully restored 2022

One of the earliest known 'alternate tip' movements. It is almost certain to have been used to teach or practice dance.

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12/129 Nicole Freres - circa 1855
Two per turn Fat Cylinder Opera - One of a pair.
​Serial No. 32569; Gamme No. 1212

Away for a full re-pin - due back late 2026

See it in the workshop

8/131 Nicole Freres - circa 1847
Two per Turn Fat Cylinder Keywind - One of a pair.
​Serial No. 25668; Gamme No. 917

From the golden age of Nicole Freres.
Bought at auction in January 2026.
​Away for a full re-pin and some new teeth - due back late 2026

Case repolished

Original tunesheet

Replica tunesheet (unfinished)

See it in the workshop

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8/123 Cuendet - Sublime Piccolo - circa 1896

Fully restored 2023
​Included repining of the cylinder 

A fabulous sound produce by three separate combs tuned to give a beautiful resonance

8/122 Ducommun-Girod - Mandolin - circa 1881

Fully Restored November 2023

A stunningly decorated box with some unusual tunes. Almost certainly a one-off commission.

8/97 Nicole Freres

Unrestored
One for 2026 maybe

8/78 Langdorff et Fils - circa 1882

Movement Fully Restored including a full re-pin 
Awaiting minor case restoration

Avery rare cartel playing seven Romanian folk dance tunes and one Austrian polka. Almost certainly a one off commission.
​Probably used to teach or practice dancing 

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8/77 Bremond Drum & Bells - circa 1862

Awaiting Restoration

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8/77 Paillard - Harpe Eolienne - circa 1879

Fully Restored July 2025

Awaiting a new glass lid.

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6/107 Nicole Freres keywind circa 1859

Fully Restored November 2024

A beautiful box in all respects.

6/104 Nicole Freres - keywind - circa 1844

Fully restored 2022

From the 'golden era'. High quality movement in a relatively plain case.

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6/103 Cartel - keywind - circa 1830

Mechanism Fully Restored, including re-pinning in 2024

​Case unrestored because I don't want to lose the patina.

See it in the workshop

4/57 Unknown Cartel - circa 1862
Serial no. 20567

Fully restored December 2024

4/50 George Baker & Co. - circa 1895
​Serial no. 15172

Fully restored including re-pinned cylinder 2022

George Baker 4/50 - fully restored

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4/78 Nicole Freres - circa 1842

Under restoration Requires substantial re-restoration of some badly restored teeth.

3/99 Sectional comb - Circa 1826
Serial no. 1193; Gamme no. tbc.

Originally in a clock base, but now in an up cycled instrument case.

Fully restored 2023

3/99 sectional comb - fully restored

2/82 Cartel by Franz Rzebitschek of Prague between 1848 & 1854
​​Serial no. 24588; Gamme no. 2091.

Bought at auction in Prague May 2025
From the estate of JUDr. Matouš Mandl (1865-1048), Czech lawyer and politician, mayor of Pilsen, art collector.
​Tune two is the famous 1848 Radezký March by Johann Strauss the Elder

Click here for more including videos of the tunes

2/80 Cartel by A. Olbrich (senior) of Vienna. Circa 1840
​Serial no. 8054. Gamme no. 384.

Bought at auction July 2026

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