March Auction
Lot 226:
Paillard Vaucher Fils (P.V.F.) Swiss Cylinder Music Box in Japonesque Case, Late 19th c.
Description
Paillard Vaucher Fils (P.V.F.)
Cylinder Music Box
Switzerland, late 19th century
A late-19th-century Swiss cylinder music box by Paillard Vaucher Fils (P.V.F.), housed in an Aesthetic-Movement ebonized wooden case. The lid is decorated with a Japonesque gilt figure scene, reflecting the influence of Japonisme on late-Victorian decorative arts. The interior retains its original printed playlist label and dust cover.
The brass cylinder mechanism is present but not currently functioning and is offered as found. The case exhibits age-related wear including surface abrasions, edge wear, and a split to one corner, consistent with use and handling over time.
Approximate length: 12.5 in (31.8 cm).
Details
Maker: Paillard Vaucher Fils (P.V.F.)
Origin: Switzerland
Date / Period: Late 19th century
Mechanism: Cylinder music box (not in working order)
Materials: Ebonized wood, gilt decoration, brass mechanism
Decoration: Japonesque figure scene
Dimensions: approx. 12.5 in (31.8 cm) long
Condition: Mechanism not functioning; case with wear, abrasions, and a corner split; retains original playlist label and dust cover; offered as found
Catalogue Note
Paillard Vaucher Fils was among the most respected Swiss music-box manufacturers of the 19th century, known for the precision and refinement of its mechanical production. This example is notable for its Aesthetic-Movement case with Japonisme decoration, illustrating the intersection of Swiss musical engineering with late-Victorian decorative taste.
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