Here's the musical box on its matching disc storage bin. This musical box was made by Polyphon Musikwerke, A.-G. in Leipzig, Germany, around the turn of the century. Polyphon was one of the three largest makers of disc musical boxes.
This musical box has two musical combs, containing a total of 118 tuned steel teeth. It is played by the plucking of the teeth by star wheels, one starwheel for each tooth on the combs. The star wheels are turned by projections on the bottom of the disc. Thus, the musical program is 'punched' into the disc to create the projections. The discs are often referred to as 'tune sheets'.
Here's another view of this lovely musical box with the door open and the disc removed from its playing position.
Inside, there is a glazed motor cover, a coin-slot on the right side and coin track inside the box. This musical box uses the large British Penny.
The detachable winding handle is visible on the right. This provides power to the musical box by allowing the large spring motor to be wound.
The disc storage bin is new and well-made in the style of the original. It has a tip-out door and inside there are slots for receiving extra discs.
Here is an 'inside' view of the musical box showing the tuned steel teeth, star wheels, pressure bar (to hold the disc in place while it is playing). On the right is the coin-drop chute below which is the hold where the coin drops into the coin drawer.
