Casgliadau Arlein

A small disc-playing music box, made in the late 19th century. The music box was a popular household instrument from about 1810 until the early 20th century, when the player piano and the phonograph rendered it obsolete. In the 1890s, the cylinders inside music boxes were replaced with discs, such as this one, which meant music box owners could now enjoy a larger variety of songs.​

Mechanism is built into wooden box container, with lid, and is housed in its original cardboard box. Logo of manufacturer comprises a shooting star with 'POLYPHON' lettering on its tail, a human figure (possibly dancing), and a scroll bearing the wording MARQUE DE FABRIQUE. Inside the container lid is a paper label of white background on which is painted 'Polyphon' in brown lettering and - in colour - a scene of a branch of apple blossom on which is a figure with a baton and music book conducting three singing birds