Musical box
Mattel
Category
Musical instruments, devices and recordings
Date
c. 1950 - c. 1959
Materials
Tin music box decorated in paint
Measurements
210 x 160 x 60 mm
Place of origin
Los Angeles
Collection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 672363
Summary
A tin musical box, the Mattel Merry Music Box. The front has a picture of a man in a hat and a stripped jumper playing a barrel organ that has a monkey singing on the top and a boy dancing to the side. ‘MATTEL MERRY MUSIC BOX’ is written in black letters at the bottom. The music box is red and decorated with musical chords and notes. On the side of the box is a metal winding handle and on the top there is a price of string for hanging the box. On the rear are pictures of four musical instruments and a music stand. ‘MATTEL MERRY MUISC BOX’ is written in red letters on a white background on the rear, together with the stock number, 'STOCK # 501. There are also details of patent numbers printed on the rear: PAT NOS 2, 504, 666 and 2, 630 655 and a Mattel logo. The names of the people responsible for the decoration of the box (Louis Song) and the music it plays (Ted Duncan) are also printed on the back.
Provenance
Purchased by the National Trust Museum of Childhood via ebay on 4th April 2019 as part of the Collecting Cultures 'Exploring Childhoods' project
Marks and inscriptions
On rear of box: Printed on rear of box: the stock number, 'STOCK # 501'; patent numbers PAT NOS 2, 504, 666 and 2, 630 655 and a Mattel logo
Makers and roles
Mattel , manufacturer