The musical box is housed in a splendid satinwood and ebonized case with scroll architecture, a shelf at the back that provides a lovely display stage for automata or decorative object, and decorative marquetry on the lid. Satinwood and tulip wood inlays decorate the front and top. There is a front pull-out drawer for storage of extra cylinders, and a protective glass inner lid. There are six nickel-plated 9" cylinders that play on a 62 note cone; both cylinders and cone are in excellent condition. Each cylinder plays six tunes.
Historical References: Mermod Freres, a family business that started in 1816, grew into one of the three largest companies in the mountain village of Ste-Croix. The company had a reputation for quality products and was represented at numerous international expositions from 1867 in Paris through 1905 in Milan. The Forte-Picco was one of Mermod's mainstays in the 1890's, handsome, symmetrical, and good-sounding. It was presented as part of their Peerless series. Each disc is marked F.P. 1253 with varying disc number e.g. 116426. The disc 116426 has six tunes that are Faust by Gounod (1859), Carmen by Bizet (1875), La Muette de Portici by Auber (1828), Tannhauser Overture by Wagner (1845), Ernani by Verdi (1844), and Martha by von Flotow (1847). Circa 1890.