Imperator No.48 "Zauberflöte" with bells W.A. Mozart antique music box like Polyphon

This time I present you a video of a very Rare Imperator music box. The Imperator music boxes were built between the 1890's and early 1900's by Friedrich Adolf Richter (Germany) with excellent craftsmanship.
The Imperator No. 48 has 12 bells and two duplex combs (4 combs!) which gives it a very rich sound. Also the arrangement of the combs is quite unusual. They were not arranged on the left and the ride side of the music box, but above and beneath the center spindle.
According to an advertisement the Imperator music boxes "are acknowledged to be of most excellent workmanship and of the richest tone"...

And now enjoy my video,
Chris


Text on disc:


Die Zauberflöte. Glockenspiel und Sklaventanz
Carillon et danse et esclaves.
Slaves-dance and chimes.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
No. 7016

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Imperator
• Zauberflöte
• Glocken
• bells
• magic
• flute
• antique
• music
• box
• spieldose
• mechanisch

[DerZaxxon]

It's the Oberfrankenlied, an old folksong, not from Mozart

[exxzxxe]

Thanks for video of Imperator. What software package did you use to make video? You did very nice job of showing music box with transitions and other visual effects. I am working on submitting some of my videos of rarer boxes (26" Stella, 27-1/2 Imperial Symphonion with bells, 25" Lochmann's with chimes and with bells, 25" Monopol Glorioso and 28" Olympia.) I hope to do as good work you have have. Regards!

[bfs1888]

go with it, it's a music box, not a stuffed up composer-in-a-box

[Dirk1961]

Nice tune, but I think it's NEVER Mozart style.