A music box entered the museum from the private collection of Nikolai Polyakov, the head of the Gorodets local government in the 19th century. Music boxes have their origin in 18th century musical snuffboxes, which were called carillons à musique — ‘bell ringing’. A music box is a rather difficult device to make. It is sounded with the help of a series of pins and other small projections on the cylinder and a steel comb. Notably, the tone of the music box is unlike that of any other instrument.

Three main parts of the music box ensure its operation: a cylinder with pins, a winding mechanism, and a steel comb. The higher the number of the pins on the cylinder and the ‘teeth’ on the comb is, the brighter and more diverse the tunes are. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the music box could play a limited number of tunes. For example, the music box from the museum collection can play eight tunes.

The cylinder with pins was invented in the 14th century in Flanders. However, until the 18th century, it operated the little hammers that struck the bells. In the late 18th century, Swiss watchmakers invented the comb and improved the mechanism of the music box.

In the 19th century, the main production was concentrated in Switzerland — it was based on long-standing traditions of watchmaking. The first music box factory was opened there in 1815. There were also several manufacturers in Bohemia and Germany. By the end of the 19th century, some of the European manufacturers opened branch factories in the United States.

Cylinders for boxes were usually made of metal. In some more expensive models, it was possible to replace the cylinder and choose a different melody. There were also rare models with four driving springs, which could play non-stop for three hours. All details in the music box were made handmade. The music box could be of any size, ranging from the size of a hatbox to a bulky piece of furniture. The museum collection houses a music box in the form of a small box.