Regina Music Box, c. 1895

Regina Music Box, circa 1895

This music box was purchased by Henry Badger for use in his family home in the 1890s. Badger was proprietor of the Burdick House in Kalamazoo, a popular hotel and event hot spot for many decades. It would make sense that Badger purchased from the Regina Music Box Company since, at their height, they were the largest producers of disc musical boxes in the American market. A punched metal disc is placed on the central holder, and the holes in the disc engage with teeth on a gear. The gear then plucks a musical comb. Each tine of the comb is tuned to a precise pitch and, after lining up the punched disc, creates beautiful music, with sounds resembling tinkling bell tones.

Following the advent of recorded music and the creation of Ediphones and Victrolas, most music box companies could not compete. The Regina Company eventually moved from producing musical boxes to vacuum cleaners and floor polishers in the 1920s.

Object #48.116

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