Musical Boxes
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Worn/faded, no tears
Pages: Good
Few objects capture the romance of a bygone era quite like the musical box — a marvel of miniature engineering that filled Victorian parlours with melody and wonder. Musical Boxes by David Tallis is the definitive collector's guide to these enchanting mechanical instruments, chronicling their origins in 18th-century Switzerland through to the elaborate, ornately decorated cabinets that became prized possessions of the affluent classes. Tallis presents a richly detailed survey of the makers, mechanisms, and musical repertoires that defined the golden age of the musical box, offering both the seasoned collector and the curious newcomer an authoritative roadmap through this captivating field. Beyond its practical value as a reference work, the book illuminates the cultural and social history embedded within these intricate objects, arguing that musical boxes are as much works of art as they are feats of craftsmanship. Tallis writes with the precision of a horologist and the passion of a true connoisseur, detailing the key manufacturers, identifying marks, and the subtle distinctions that separate a common piece from a rare treasure. Whether you are drawn to the delicate tinkle of a snuff-box movement or the grandeur of a cylinder orchestral box, this volume will leave you forever changed in how you listen — and look — at the past.
Author: David Tallis
Format: Hardback
Genre: Antiques & collectibles
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Worn/faded, no tears
Pages: Good
Few objects capture the romance of a bygone era quite like the musical box — a marvel of miniature engineering that filled Victorian parlours with melody and wonder. Musical Boxes by David Tallis is the definitive collector's guide to these enchanting mechanical instruments, chronicling their origins in 18th-century Switzerland through to the elaborate, ornately decorated cabinets that became prized possessions of the affluent classes. Tallis presents a richly detailed survey of the makers, mechanisms, and musical repertoires that defined the golden age of the musical box, offering both the seasoned collector and the curious newcomer an authoritative roadmap through this captivating field. Beyond its practical value as a reference work, the book illuminates the cultural and social history embedded within these intricate objects, arguing that musical boxes are as much works of art as they are feats of craftsmanship. Tallis writes with the precision of a horologist and the passion of a true connoisseur, detailing the key manufacturers, identifying marks, and the subtle distinctions that separate a common piece from a rare treasure. Whether you are drawn to the delicate tinkle of a snuff-box movement or the grandeur of a cylinder orchestral box, this volume will leave you forever changed in how you listen — and look — at the past.