by: Monique Hawkins

Music Boxes. There is something about them that appeals to people of all ages. Perhaps it is because they are enchanting, magical, whimsical, and have a tendency to bring back memories of days long past. Play a music box in a room full of people, and everyone will stop to listen. Music boxes never fail to fascinate, captivate, and draw some to the point where they begin to collect them out of sheer enjoyment and love of them.

Perhaps the music box collector's original interest was peaked by the sounds they produce or possibly by the rise and fall of the teeth as the cylinder turns. Maybe collectors were given a music box as a gift or inherited an especially unique one. Some collectors and lovers of music boxes could be interested in the novel features of particular music movements. For example, early automata combined exquisite fashioned figures with music boxes, while many 19th century manufacturers combined bells, drums, and novelty figures with different musical mechanisms.

The love for antique music boxes is due to the charms of memory it evokes of earlier times. It is fascinating to realize that the sounds that are heard were also heard by the original owner, perhaps 100 years ago or more. Also, the workmanship and quality have a way of causing collectors to feel absolute delight and a great desire to have a particular music box for their own.

The term music box represents a wide range of music boxes. This wide variety of music boxes also causes collectors to love for them. The Musical Box Society International describes the music box as "a popular term covering all types of automatically played musical machines, from small table-top instruments that use a cylinder or disc to play tunes on a steel comb, to large orchestrions (and) carousel music organs, which have the musical capability of a symphony orchestra or military band. Between these extremes are dozens of mechanical music-makers, including pianos, automatic violin-playing machines, clocks with music attachments, musical toys and novelties, the familiar player piano, and many more."

The wide range of novelty music boxes and items that have musical movements is awe-inspiring and increases the fascination for them. From airplanes, bridal items, butterflies, nutcrackers, and Swiss Chalets, the uniqueness of these musical movements increases the desire to add to a current collection or to give an item as a special gift.

Collecting or purchasing a good quality music box is something most people can do. It makes the collecting process that much more affordable and fun. Whether it is a cylinder music box or antique music box, novelty item with a music mechanism, or the beloved Regina music box, purchasing and collecting music boxes does not have to break one's budget; another great reason to love them!

Music boxes are beloved by many and surely are hear to stay. With their delicate beauty and soft, tinkling notes of a wonderful song, they will continue to be treasured by all for years to come.

Copyright 2006 Monique Hawkins