If you’re like me you stream online music at work and listen to the radio in the car, CDs at home and even a bit of vinyl when the mood suits you. But imagine how important a music box would have been before these modern music makers.

In the 19th century, music boxes started it all with the excitement of the mechanical music age. Even now, one of my favorite Christmas music CDs is a selection of music box songs that I picked up some time ago. The tinkling sound of carols played by tuning forks makes a magical sound that I just can’t resist.

Antique collectors have appreciated old music boxes for a long time. The first ones were made in the 18th century as snuff boxes. Developing from the exacting and delicate watchmakers’ trade, these early music boxes worked with metal cylinders that turned and plucked a hard metal comb with tuning fork teeth attached, making the distinctive sound when plucked as it turned.

Attributed in 1796 to Antoine Favre, a Geneva, Switzerland, watchmaker, the music box invention began the popularity of musical movements in all kinds of cases from tiny boxes to large floor models. The Swiss remained the giants of the music box trade until Edison came along with the phonograph in the 20th century and changed electronic music forever.

Even today, Swiss movements are respected the world over, and Reuge is one of the last survivors of the Swiss music box business. Old Reuge boxes are valuable to collectors and new ones are desirable too, because of the name and exquisite detailing. These can be very expensive and cost thousands of dollars, even new.

The cylinder type of music box remained popular until the late 1880s when the Germans developed the disc musical box. This new invention altered the business dramatically since it allowed a speedier method of manufacturing the sound. No longer did music boxes rely on craftsmen creating cylinders with carefully placed pins, now music boxes could be made that would play machine stamped discs.

This meant that music lovers could have many different discs with all the popular music right there in the parlor for friends and family to enjoy.

The discs were made in a variety of sizes, but usually you see the metal discs in sizes that are a bit larger than a long play (LP) vinyl record. The discs are played like a record too, with a metal hand placed over the disc and locked in place. Then the disc turns and the handle plucks the metal-punched pins.

The case is often a wooden tabletop version and can be very beautiful. Like most things Victorian, these cases include elaborate labels inside the lids with cherubs and flowers and other decorative details.

Regina became the biggest American manufacturer of disc music boxes, and these models are often seen in antique shops, sales and auctions. Located in New Jersey, Regina mass produced the disc type boxes during the golden age of music boxes in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

By the start of World War I, the music box had given way to the phonograph and the radio for musical entertainment.

Today, collectors enjoy the romantic look of old music boxes and the delightful sound of the simple tunes played by manually cranking it up. Music boxes come in all sizes, too. Some cylinder models have multiple cylinders, and the most popular cylinder names for antique collectors are Nicole Freres, Henri Capt, LeCoultre, Bremond and Mermod Freres. Besides Regina, the disc music box names of note are Polyphon, Mira, Stella and Symphonion.

As always, condition and decorative features increase the value. Especially valuable are disc players that play multiple discs at the same time or those that were designed in tall case clocks, according to Schroeder’s Price Guides.

For real enthusiasts, there’s an international music box collector club with a very informative website and Facebook page, mbsi.org (the Music Box Society International).

For comments or suggestions on local treasures to be featured in Antique of the Week, Maureen Zambito can be reached via email at: zambitomaureen@hotmail .com or by writing in care of this newspaper.