Inside A Wooden Music Box

Sometimes it is not the shiniest, gaudiest item that holds the most value.  One of the last scenes in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” has the rugged hero Harrison Ford once again facing off with the evil Nazis in the search for the Holy Grail.  The bad guy cannot end up the winner, so it is no surprise when he chooses a gold, heavily bejeweled goblet and, of course, dies.  As the knight said rather evenly, he chose poorly.  The winner was a simple wooden cup.  No flash or dazzle at all.  But in the end, it was the wise choice.

There are some who would view a wooden music box as less valuable than one with a lot of bells and whistles.  There are many times where that would be an incorrect assumption.  You cannot always judge a book by its cover.  Or a music box by its cover.

The making of music boxes began in Switzerland in the early nineteenth century.  Many of the great past wooden music box makers were originally watch makers who stumbled into another use for the precision movements and designs of their watches and clocks.  They discovered how musical notes could be incorporated into the hardware. 

Origins And Such Hullabaloo

Switzerland is not the only place to find a beautiful hand carved wooden music box.  You can choose from several other countries; Europe is steeped in history and alive with timeless treasures like wooden music boxes that have seen literally centuries pass since their formation.

France, Germany, and Italy all have some of the most unique and enthralling wooden music boxes to offer.  You may really feel like you own a part of history.  There are some that double as a jewelry box, and others that are just used for decoration.

Perhaps you are looking for something more modern and commercial; a gift for your daughter who loves classic Winnie the Pooh or ballerinas.  The solo dancing ballerina is probably one of the more popular wooden music boxes. You may also want something more animated, like a carousel or even a ferris wheel. 

If you want an antique music box, an antique dealer would be a good place to start.  It may be a good idea to ask for an appraisal before you purchase anything, if you are able.  There are stores that sell only music boxes; if you want to find something special and unique that would be a good place to begin your search.