Rare Victorian Music From The Historic Music Hub of Leipzig Germany, An “Orchestral Sounding” Fortuna Upright Music Box with Double-Tuned Metal Combs & 47 Steel Disc Player Plates, Walnut Cabinet & Hand Painted Glass, Circa 1890-1910
Furniture, General
This rare Fortuna upright disc music box is a masterwork of late 19th-century German mechanical engineering, dating from approximately 1890 to 1910. Produced in the historic musical hub of Leipzig by renowned manufacturers like Ernst Malke or F.H. Oberländer, this instrument represents the pinnacle of Victorian entertainment technology. Unlike smaller table-top units, this is a grand floor-standing model characterized by a rich, mahogany-finished walnut cabinet that serves as a natural resonator, producing a deep and immersive sound typical of high-end instruments from this era.
The mechanical heart of the player utilizes a sophisticated “duplex” system featuring double tuned metal combs. This double-comb arrangement allows for an orchestral-quality sound, where two teeth are plucked simultaneously for every note, creating a rich, shimmering vibrato and a harmonic depth that far surpasses single-comb models. When a perforated steel disc is placed onto the center spindle and the spring motor is wound via the side-mounted hand crank, the small tabs on the underside of the disc strike the star wheels to activate these dual combs. This specific “parlor” model was designed for private luxury homes, featuring a manual start-stop pull lever on the side of the cabinet to initiate the performance. The front of the cabinet is adorned with an original hand-painted glass motif that elegantly obscures the internal motor while allowing listeners to view the mesmerizing rotation of the disc through a central window.
This exceptional offering includes a huge collection of forty-seven original steel discs, featuring classic titles such as Auld Lang Syne, Home Sweet Home and titles by composers Verdi, Thomas and Schubert to name a few. The discs bear the distinctive trademark stamps common to the period and are housed within the integrated storage pedestal at the base of the machine. Every detail of the cabinet, from the ornate carved top gallery to the original brass hardware and “Fortuna” nameplate, has been preserved to showcase the artisan craftsmanship of the Leipzig school of music box makers.
This complete set provides a unique opportunity to own a significant piece of mechanical music history that remains as visually stunning as it is technically impressive.
Dimensions: width 28.5″ x depth 20″ x height 83″ , Diameter of each metal disc plate 21″
€7,709.88
1 in stock
