LOUIS XVI STYLE MUSIC BOX In green lacquered wood, with bronze and gilt metal ornamentation decorated with musical trophies, the central part forming a trap door opening to a single ventail revealing a clock mechanism with roller and a bellows, the whole being activated by the action of a crank on the right side; wear and restorations H.30.5 cm (12 in.) l.46,8 cm (18 ½ in.) P.28 cm (11 in.) Provenance: A French aristocratic collection. A Louis XVI style gilt-bronze mounted and green lacquered musical box The music box dates back to the end of the 18th century. It is an instrument designed to produce sounds or melodies by means of a clockwork mechanism wound by a crank, as in our example. Swiss watchmaker Antoine Favre-Salomon is often credited with being one of the creators of the music box from the late eighteenth century onwards. Like our example, the sounds are emitted by the action of a cylinder which emits sounds thanks to metal blades or combs. which, when in contact, emit a melodious sound. Interestingly, this model also has a bellows, which is also used for songbird boxes. This music box tradition continues to this day with the famous Reuge manufacture in Switzerland.