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Page 1: Museum Highlights
Page 2: Homemade Pianos
Page 3: Wood Pianos
Page 4: Ceramic Pianos
Page 5: Metal Pianos
Page 6: Plastic Pianos
Page 7: Toy Pianos
Page 8: Music Box Pianos
Page 9: Limoges Pianos
Page 10: Piano Jewelry
Page 11: Functional Pianos
Page 12: Miscellaneous Pianos

Here is a group of pianos made of miscellaneous materials, but what they have in common is that they all play music. Music box pianos are a very diverse group of figurines, trinket boxes, and toys.

Pianos in my collection:

    

On the left is a harmonium-like wooden box that measures 4" across by 5 1/2" high. It would play music but the winder in back is missing. On the right is a silver upright jewelry box. It plays music and has a place at the top that opens to hold rings or small jewelry items. It is stamped Japan on the bottom and measures 3" across and high.

This is a cigarette box from England that features a portrait of Chopin on the lid. When the lid is opened, Chopin's Nocturne in E major is played. The overall measurements are about 7" long, 5" across, and 3 1/4" high with the lid closed.

    

On the left is an electronic player piano called "My First Pianola." It works on AA batteries and plays six different tunes. As it plays, the piano keys move up and down like a player piano. The lid opens and closes and the piano has a red felt-lined compartment inside. It is made in China by Soon Cheng Toys and measures 7" across by 6 3/4" high. The legs are removable. On the right is a Hello Kitty music box set which includes the piano, a chair, Hello Kitty, and her bunny friend. The piano plays "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" when you raise the keyboard lid. It is about 2 1/4" high by 3 1/2" across.

        

This is a nice decorative piece, with sculptured roses around the sides and a lyre-playing cupid on the lid. Unfortunately, the music box mechanism inside no longer works and the lid has been cracked. But it's still a pretty box. The lid opens to reveal the music box and a tiny storage compartment. The piano is marked Sankyo Japan inside. The box can be manually manipulated to produce music, but I can't decipher the tune. This piano measures 3" across by 2 1/4" high.

Pianos not in my collection:

    

This is a deep brown plastic electronic music box with gold plastic details. When opened, a red light comes on and the box plays "Fur Elise." The lid can be propped open. This box is made in China and measures 2 3/4" across and high. On the right is a more detailed picture of this piano.

    

This lovely cigarette or trinket box plays "Because You're Mine" and is made in one piece of cast lead. A piece of swirled Catalin plastic forms the piano's lid. The plastic keyboard has the keys engraved on it. There is an applied cast lead decoration on the lid depicting a sheet of music surrounded by a ribbon-tied wreath. The lead casting is remarkably detailed with scrolled borders, claw feet, and a gorgeous lyre-decorated mount for the foot pedals. The musical mechanism is marked Reuge, Switzerland. This piano measures 8 1/4" deep by 6" across by 4" high.

    

On the left is a Swiss organ music box with three keyboards. On the bottom is the key wind and a label that says "Thorens Movement Killarney Made In Switzerland." This organ is 8 1/2" high and 4" across. When you push down on the keyboard it plays music. On the right is a wooden piano that plays "Memories" while the kitten on top moves about. The keyboard cover lowers and raises. Made by Berkeley designs, the piano measures 5 1/2" high and across.

    

On the left is an old harmonium-style music box (like the one I have) that has an opening on the side with sheet music with it and a little wooden stool to match. On the right is a unique wooden stained glass musical piano by the George Good Corporation. It measures about 5" high and across and features an old-fashioned wooden piano with stained glass inserts behind the foot pedals and the keyboard. It plays "The Entertainer."

    

This is a large Japanese music box featuring oriental lacquer and mother of pearl with an ivory inlay for the top of the mountain. It measures 9 1/2" by 6 1/4". This vintage piece plays a melody and opens to reveal a jewelry box and a mirror.

    

On the left is a musical jewelry box with a dancing ballerina. It measures 8" by 10" by 6" and has a glass top and a plastic body. On the right is an upright musical jewelry box that has a movable keyboard lid and a removable shelf revealing space to store jewelry. It measures approximately 8" by 7".

    

This wooden musical jewelry box has a velvet lining and a dancing ballerina. It measures 7 1/4" across by 8 1/4" deep by 5" high. The song might be called "Fascination." It is estimated to be from the 1950s and has the following markings: Styled by MELE Japan.

    

On the left is a vintage wind-up transogram musical toy piano. The keyboard is made of paper. The piano is made of pink plastic with a picture on the front that moves in a 3D manner as the tune (London Bridges) is played. It measures 8" across by 5 1/2" high by 3" deep. It is marked on the back Toys For Tots. The musical piano jewelry box on the right is 7" high, 7 1/4" long, and 4 3/4" across. The top lifts, the keyboard lifts, and the bottom drawer opens for storage; as music plays, the roll turns. The jewelry storage areas are lined in red velvet.

        

This is a vintage Japanese lacquerware jewelry box in the shape of a grand piano, with a dancing ballerina inside that moves to the music. It has several compartments on the inside and is hand-painted on the outside with a typical Japanese theme. It is a large box at 6" high and across and 9" long.

    

On the left is a brown lacquer jewelry box that plays music. The top opens to reveal a bride and groom that revolve when the music plays. The piano measures about 6" high with the top down by about 8 3/4" across by about 11 1/4" long. On the right is a piano snow globe full of glitter. From the San Francisco Music Box Company, this musical globe plays "Fur Elise."

This is a lovely piano with tulips painted on. It is a player piano reproduction and it measures 3 3/4" across by 3" high. When you wind up the piano, it plays "Variations on a Theme by Paganini" and the keys move up and down just like a real player piano. This piece is made by Enesco and is also available in "Amazing Grace" and "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" versions. Other versions have slightly different decoration.

    

The vintage player piano on the left is cranked, so no batteries or electricity are needed. Each music card plays a different popular children's song. On the right is a "Pianola" player piano like the one I have, except this one is white.

    

Place Mickey and Minnie Mouse on top of the player piano on the left and they dance to the music. The piano plays the tune "Havanola" by George Gershwin and the keys move to the music. The piano measures about 11" by 10" by 6". The lid opens with a latch and runs by batteries or an AC adapter. The Snoopy and Woodstock piano on the right is similarly made. The figures dance when the music is turned on. The tune is "Linus and Lucy."

    

On the left is a revolving Irish piano music box from Lefton China's Timeless Classics Collection. It plays "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" in the classic music box style (not electronic). Made of the finest quality porcelain, it measures 5 1/2" high, 3 1/2" long, and 3" across. The piano on the right has beautiful detail and a unique sound. It was made in Austria and plays the waltz. The top of the piano has hand stitching of flowers and leaves.

    

On the left is a wooden animated musical piano from Enesco that measures about 6" high. The piano is decorated on top with a Christmas scene on a revolving base. The three figures twirl around as the base rotates. The box plays "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy." The piano on the right is from the 1997 Muffy Vanderbear Legendary Portrait in Black and White collection. It is a wind-up music box that plays "Grand Polonaise." It comes with a bench with black and white plaid upholstery.

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