Music Boxes?!?! These are a lot different than a modern music box with a twirling ballerina! The foremost one in the above image is also a clock made by Seth Thomas with a Regina music works, but the others pictured here are not timepieces-- just fabulous large style music boxes. Many of these were made in the 1870's.
Notice the ornate decoration and wood work on the cases! The large disc inside turns, and the perforated disc runs over a metal "comb" to play the music. Many of these machines were coin operated for commercial use in restaurants, taverns, and hotels.
In a time when machines this big were made just to play one song at a time, this item was a real innovation: an automatic three disc changer! Remember when the CD changer was the hottest thing since sliced bread? Can you imagine if each of your CDs was about 18 inches across and only played one song?
