Tabatiére or Snuff Box Movements 

The word Tabatiére is French for Snuff Box. These general terms are used to describe the smaller, delicate movements of the mid to late 19th century when it was fashionable for gentlemen to carry snuff. Allegedly some carried musical boxes with snuff in a small compartment, like this one on the right.
this box is tiny and would easy fit into a pocket, but others are much too large to carry about. The larger ones, without a compartment for suff are known as Petites Musique's.
These are some of my favourite boxes mainly because of their delicate tunes and all brass movements some of which are approaching 200 years old and one dates to 1810.

The boxes below are arranged with the smallest at the top and Petites Musique's at the bottom.

Rare Tortoiseshell sectional comb snuff box circa 1830

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2/55 Sectional Comb in Tortoiseshell Case with brass cartouche
Serial No. unknown - Circa 1810

Bought at auction October 2024
Very rare
​More information here

2/64 Sectional Comb Toritoisehell snuff box - circa 1830

A rare sectional comb snuff box in exceptionally good condition for its age.
It plays 2 Airs, one of which is a Ranz des Vaches arrangement found on many surviving musical boxes of the period. The number of teeth per segment gives a rough guide to the movement’s age, which is estimated just pre 1830. The make is unknown but its quality matches that of the finely moulded tortoiseshell case. The actual material was obtained from a turtle called the Hawksbill turtle, so named for the shape of its beak-like head. The term tortoiseshell may seem confusing today but the name ‘tortoise’ was probably used generically because the two species are related. The Hawksbill turtle shell was popular because of its fine colouring. 
Ranz des Vaches? These were mainly tunes played by Swiss herdsmen as they drove their cattle to and from high mountainous pastures. Austrian and German herdsman had a similar tradition. Each valley had a distinctive tune played on the Alphorn, a very long valve-less horn whose bass register echoed across mountain and valley. The exact source of the Ranz commonly arranged for the musical box is uncertain. The arrangements often have a ‘descant trill’, a high pitched trill of two alternating pitches typical of the Swiss yodel. The yodel also combined the vocal falsetto of the ‘head’ and ‘chest’ voices (alternating high and low pitches.) For these reasons, this particular Ranz was probably based on a yodelling tune. Just like the bass notes of the Alphorn, the high-pitched human voice also resonated across mountain and valley; it was used to convey messages, no doubt asking ‘her indoors’ to put the kettle on when the husband came down from the high pastures. The cattle would also respond to certain calls but not to put the kettle on!

Ranz Des Vaches

Tune 2

2/69 Sectional Comb in Ebony case by François Alibert
Serial No 3864 - circa 1830

Bought at auction November 2023
Rare 
​More information here

​3/70 Georgian Tabatiére in composite box

With Military scene on lid in exceptionally good condition.

4/62 Georgian Tabatiére in composite box

​ Marked “Souvenir du tir federal de Geneve 1851” and depicting a military scene.

4/62 Tabatiére in composite box - Home Sweet Home

Bought at auction (job lot) November 2023
Quite good condition, all working apart from the stop system - easily fixed
Requires a clean & service

4/50 River Scene Tabatiére in composite box

2/59 Tabatiére in butterfly style leather case

Bought at auction March 2023.
A fairly standard movement with brass bedplate.
Ran with difficulty, because it was caked with oil and dust as there is no cover.
Unfortunately there is no tune sheet but both unmistakably Scottish favourites
See the short restoration diary here

Coming Through The Rye

Auld Lang Syne

4/61 Hamburg Tabatiére

Bought via eBay in May 2023, this Hamburg assembled box is in great condition with all its original parts. It has a very unusual spring motor, but otherwise standard tabatiere arrangement in need of a good clean. Four tunes and an original tune sheet.
​More here ...

2/62 in Bow-front Ebony Case

Bought at auction October 2024
As the 4/52 above, made for the American market.

​More information here

Tabatiére in Birds Eye maple case with delicate diamond inlay

Bought at auction March 2023.
​A lovely inlaid case containing a 60 note movement with all it's bits!
It appears that the two treble end teeth have been broken off and re attached at some time.
Plays well but the cylinder does not return without help due to dirt and lack of fresh oil.
​Intact tune sheet behind a protective cover.

​2/68 Tabatiére in oak box inlaid with brass.

Absolutely superb box. Veneered in oak with fancy brass inlay and ebony edging.
Restored December 2023
See it in the workshop

2/72 Ebony & brass case

Bought at Auction October 2023
Superb brass case with ebony veneer with brass inlays and brass bun feet.
​Runs a bit fast and needs some adjustment.

3/36 Tabatiére

Iin original small oak box. It's been through the workshop and in perfect order

​2/29 Tabatiére

Two tunes to one turn playing Marche Loraine & La Belle Helene.
​No work has been done to this box.

3/57 Burr Walnut

Bought at auction in May 2023 mainly because of the tunes.
Home Sweet Home
My Queen (Waltz)
Rule Britannia
​Fully restored

2/55 in Indian inlaid box

Bought at auction (job lot) November 2023
Case in excellent condition
Movement requires a clean & service

2/36 Chinoiserie scene on papier-mâché case

Bought at Auction October 2023
One tune is from the opera Orphan aux enfers otherwise known as "The Can-can" by Jaques Offenbach

6/51 Petites Musique - Large Tabatiére or small Cartel?

This Petites Musique attracted my attention because it's a larger than usual movement in a small cartel type box with hinged glass lid.
There was initial disappointment because there were some essential components missing from the drive and tune selector area. However, new ones have been made and it now runs well. Took about three hours to straighten all the bent pins.
The box has had some minor repairs and a repolish.
The tune sheet has been stained making it difficult to read but it has been deciphered.
See it in the workshop where there is a list of the tunes too.

3/70 Petites Musique in a Burr Walnut Box

3/70 Burr Walnut box with brass trim. Movement and box cleaned and polished.
It's had a new mainspring ratchet made by a friend and could do with a Geneva Stop part to complete the restoration.
​Plays beautifully.
​Unfortunately it has no tune sheet. Click here to hear and see it playing.

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4/52 Petites Musique - made for the American market

Fairly common style box with an unusual movement with patent details MSH 'ST 1881 stamped over the spring housing.
The drive mechanism is very unusual. The spring is wound anti-clockwise. The spring housing is cast with the bedplate so the crown wheel forms the top of the housing and rotates when running. The butterfly vane, also stamped with a Patent in 1882, is mounted horizontally rather than vertically and is much larger than the usual Paillard style snuff box movement.
The box was in poor shape and require some detailed restoration.
See the workshop page for more detail.

6/50 Petites Musique

Bought at auction in August 2023
All Scottish tunes
​Movement and case restored by me
​Fully restored

6/42 Petites Musique by B A Bremond circa 1882

Bought at auction in May 2023, this large Tabatière. known as a Petites Musique, has a very nice set of tunes shown on the original tune sheet which is clearly marked as being by B A Bremond. Although a little dirty, the movement plays perfectly and the lacquered case, with tiny mother of pearl inlaid band, is in excellent condition.
​More information here

4/77 Mandoline Zither Petites Musique
​Serial No.4976 circa 1890

Bought at auction January 2024
​Very unusual Tabatiére in in Amboyna case with mother of pearl cartouche
​Very rare
​More information here

6/50 Petites Musique by Paillard

Bought from an Antique dealer via E-bay.
The original box with the original list of airs in the lid is all original and the tunes are lovely.
Research shows that the movement was almost certainly made in Saint Croix, probably supplied by Paillard.
HMS Pinafore was first performed in 1878 so this box is likely to be 1879/80
​See Workshop page for more information.

Click to play 'My Little Buttercup' from HMS Pinafore

4/82 "Fortisimo" Petites Musique by Chevob & Co. late Baker Troll & Co.

Bought via eBay in January 2025
A very unusual box with pristine tune sheet by a known maker. 
​According to the seller, it's been in the family from new (1910).
​Better photos when it arrives

12/37 Two per turn Tabatiére by Charles Ullmann

Rare tabatiére with pristine tune sheet and known maker