Category Archive for ‘Latest News’

AMBC has been approached by the production company for “The Repair Shop” to inquire if any member has a suitable item to use in their second series appearing on BBC Two later in the year.

Those who watched the first series will remember that our member, Stephen Kember, appeared in one episode restoring a musical cigar dispenser.

They are … Read More

Spring 2017 edition

List of Contents

• Chairman’s Report
• Meetings Report
• A Musical Box Signed Alder
• The Aeolian Orchestrelle – The Home Orchestra
• Hayes – The British Home of the Orchestrelle+
• Letter to the Editors
• The Steinway Spirio
• Restoring a Sectional Comb Movement
• Yester Year – The Anglo-French Music Co. Ltd.
• How to Make an Automaton, Part 1
• Meeting Dates
• Musical

Winter 2017 edition

List of Contents

• Chairman’s Report
• Meetings Report
• All About  Names, Part 5 – Henri-Joseph Lecoultre
• The Patent Gem Organette
• Who Was Gevril?
• Musical Box Music and Composers
• Big Ben – a look at its history
• Saleroom Report from Auction Team Breker
• Christian Ritschard and his Musical Tortoise
• Letters to the Editor
• Furniture Cleaners and Revivers
• News, Views

Autumn 2016 edition

List of Contents

• Chairman’s Report
• September Meeting
• MBSI presentation to the Deputy Chairman
• Visit to Amberley Museum
• Looking at Photograph Albums
• Weekend Visit to Suffolk
• Railways, Escalators and Elevators
• Who Made My Box?
• The Fascination of Box Lids
• Meeting Dates
• News, Views and Tips
• For Sale

 … Read More

After a Friday night stay at the Holiday Inn, Ipswich, our first visit was to “Sounds of the Past” housed in an old chapel in Monks Eleigh village. We were hosted by Paul Goodchild, founder of the collection, now a trust. It is a sort of retirement home for elderly and sometimes infirm radios, televisions, record players and gramophones, no … Read More

At the recent MBSI Annual Meeting Paul Bellamy was awarded the David Bowers Literary Award, which is presented to authors who have made an outstanding contribution to the body of literature on mechanical music.

Paul has been recognized for his numerous contributions in this field, and especially his recent work “The Music Makers of Switzerland”.

For details of how to … Read More

The firm of Paillard & Co was founded at St Croix, Switzerland in 1814. In 1849 a grandson of the founder, Marius-Justin Paillard, established himself in business in New York as a musical box importer. He returned to Switzerland in 1865, in poor health, having previously taken his nephew, A.E. Paillard into partnership. 

M.J. Paillard & Co. exhibited the products … Read More

Summer 2016 edition

List of Contents

• Editorial
• Report of April 24th Meeting
• Report of AGM June 4th
• British Horological Institute Open Day
• Making a Marotte
• A L’Epee/Nicole Musical Box
• Hicks Barrel Pianos
• Visit of MBSI President
• M.J. Paillard & Company
• A Visit to J.H. Heller of Bern in 1873
• The First Time I Saw an EMG Gramophone
• Chairman’s Report
• Restoration

Judy Caletti, the current President of the Musical Box Society International, took time out from a family holiday in Europe for an informal visit to see old friends and make new ones.

A group of us shared a very convivial day of talk, reminiscences and listening to musical boxes. During the visit Judy graciously accepted an award on behalf of … Read More

On a sunny Saturday in July members of AMBC brought their barrel pianos, organs and organettes to entertain the visitors at Amberley Museum. Ted also gave a series of talks in “The Hayloft” on musical boxes and other forms of mechanical music.

We based ourselves around and near to the village green, where there was also a small children’s traditional … Read More