Symphonion Music box - An Early Disc Player

I hope you can help me with the value and market interest of my Symphonion.  It is 20 x 16 x 11 inches and works when a nickel is inserted in the coin slot.  I also have 22 13.5 inch steel disks.

Tabletop music boxes evolved from clock and watchmakers.  As early as the 16th century, a Flemish clockmaker developed a clock with a central cylinder. Pins covering this cylinder hit tiny tuned bells to produce recognizable music (rather than simple chimes).  The genius of his invention was the removable pins which could be placed anywhere on the pierced cylinder to produce custom music. 

The clockwork mechanism led to the development of the cylinder music box.  These music boxes contained large horizontal pinned cylinders.  As the cylinder revolved, pins would strike tuned metal combs.  Owned only by the wealthy, these boxes were expensive and limited to the tune programmed into the cylinders.  Some boxes featured multiple cylinders, but the mechanics of swapping out one for another was awkward.

Music boxes playing flat disks like Symphonion were more user friendly and less expensive to produce than the cylinder music box. In both cases, tuned metal combs have their teeth plucked by precisely placed pins. The genius of these music players was the shaft drive rotating a plate, which enabled each machine to use interchangeable disks. The relatively modest price and easy storage of the steel or zinc disks meant that consumers could enjoy a huge range of music with the same machine.

Your machine was made by the Symphonion Musikwerks, the German company, which patented the star flywheel vital to the workings of these music boxes.   They were started manufacturing and marketing these in 1880; yours is a little later, perhaps 1895 or so. 

At some point, Symphonion split into two companies: Symphonion and Polyphon.  In 1892, Polyphon employee Gustave Brachhausen left Germany for New to start the Regina Music Box Company.  To keep customers and prevent competition, each music box company produced their own disks:  differences in diameters meant that disks made for Symphonion, for example, would not play on a Regina. 

Most boxes seen on the market today are by Regina and the term has become an almost generic term for flat disk music boxes.   In evaluating these machines, one has to look at the condition of the combs:  if any teeth are missing that note is missed; the complexity of the music and whether it is a single comb or double comb machine. Additionally, the winding mechanism needs to work smoothly and the cabinet should be in good condition.

Your machine is a coin-operated model, meaning it was used in a public place, a tavern or a pool hall.  These automatons saw much harder use than home models and are, consequently much scarcer. 

On the market today, a Symphonion Music box with 22 disks would sell in the $800-1500 range.  Your machine, though, because it’s a coin-operated model, would sell for more.  I’d estimate it to sell in the $2000 to $4000 range.

"Old Iron for Japan" a WPA lithograph from 1936 and a 1938 protest

After this column was published in the newspaper, a neighbor of mine dropped over.  He remembered  scrap metal recycling for Japan in Berkeley in the 1930s. He was also stationed in Japan during the US occupation in 1945-1946.

This lithograph was done in 1936.  Artist Glenn Wessels was employed by the Federal Arts Program of the WPA

Q.   Enclosed is a picture of a black and white scene of a cargo boat at a dock. The title “Old Iron for Japan 36” and a signature are written in pencil.  On the front is a plaque reading “Federal Arts Project” I cannot read the signature so anything you can find out about the print or the artist would be appreciated.

A.  Your lithograph print captures a sliver of time when between the Great Depression and the beginning of the Second World War when previously cordial economic allegiances between the US and Japan began to erode. In 1936, the artist himself, Glenn Anthony Wessels might have felt rumblings.

According to Edan Hughes’  “Artists in California 1786-1940”, Glenn Anthony Wessels was born in Cape Town South Africa in 1895 but he was really a product of Northern California.  He received his BFA from Oakland’s California College of Arts and Crafts and his MA from Cal; he later taught at both colleges.  In the 1930s he worked as an artist and technical supervisor for part of the Federal Arts Project.

The Federal Arts Project was part of Franklin Roosevelt’s Works Projects Administration (WPA). Designed to combat high unemployment of the depression times, the Federal Arts Project paid artists about $23.00 per week to produce a specified number of works and public murals. Wessels himself worked on murals at the Alameda County Courthouse, Oakland Civic Auditorium and Laguna Honda Hospital; as a Federally appointed supervisor for the Oakland area, it is possible but undocumented that he influenced other muralists.

At the same time the US was in its great Depression, Japan was growing as an economic powerhouse.  Their burgeoning economy was, however, held in check somewhat by the lack of raw materials in Japan. Japan was dependent on western resources – particularly metal and oil from the US. 

Attitudes towards Japan began to change in after Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931.  Feelings ran high in Europe and Australia where it was felt that the US was supporting Japan by supplying raw materials – especially scrap iron - used for armaments.  Atrocities by Japan against Chinese civilians in 1937, Japans alliance to German and Italy, and Hitler’s support of Japanese expansion into Asia triggered protests in the US.   By 1940, Roosevelt had put economic sanctions in place and stopped the export of scrap metal to Japan.

Protest march on San Francisco waterfront, 1938

In 1941 the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. In 1943, due to the surging wartime economy in the US, the Federal Arts Project and the Works Projects Administration ended.

Glenn Anthony Wessel, like so many artists of his generation, stove to capture the realism of everyday life in the first half of the 20th century with an almost documentary efficiency.  In addition to his local murals, Wessels work can be found at the Seattle Art Museum and the Oakland Museum of California; the Achenbach Collection at the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco has a print of this very lithograph.

The markets for 20th century realism and the markets for works by former WPA artists are strong.  Your lithograph, “Old Iron for Japan” would likely sell in the $200-400 range.

Seven Japanese Lucky Gods and Eight Chinese Immortals

In my previous column I identified a group of ivory figures as the Japanese Seven Lucky Gods and promised to identify them, their attributes and their apotropaic properties.  These Gods are an amalgam of figures from Hindu, Taoist and Shinto religions representing Indian, Chinese and Japanese cultures. 

Jurojin, Daikoku, Fukorokujo, Hotei, Benten, Ebisu and Bishamon.  Each have their own apotropaic specialties.

Sometime in the 15th century these disparate deities were grouped together in Japanese culture as symbols of good luck, prosperity and longevity.  Supplicants sometimes apply to specific gods for specific requirement but in general they are appealed to as a group.  They traditionally travel together by boat and, on New Year’s Eve, bring good fortune and happiness. 

From left to right are:  Jurojin, a Chinese sage and god of longevity.  He is identified by his elongated head and long white beard and is shown here with a crane.  Daikoku is identified by his mallet and full bag of rice.  He protects farmers, businesses and the home while assuring prosperity. 

Fukorokujo looks very similar to Jurojin.  I might even have them mixed up here.  Fukorokujo’s forehead is also elongated and he carries a staff and is shown with a deer.  In addition to wealth, happiness and longevity, he is said to be able to revive the dead. 

Hotei is probably the best known and easiest to recognize.  He has a fat belly, a full bag of grain and a child at his feet. Hotei symbolizes contentment and happiness.   Benten is the only female of the group.   She is most often depicted carrying a lute and accompanied by a dragon holding a jewel.  Benten, the goddess of beauty, art, literature and music, grants amiability.

A fishing pole and fish identify Ebisu.  He is popular among fishermen and sailors and is said to bring good fortune to matters of business or commerce.  Bishamon wears armor carries a spear and holds a pagoda shaped treasure box.  He protects against evil or illness and is a bringer of wealth. 

Hi Jane. I look forward to your upcoming column identifying the Japanese figures. . I'm wondering if the ivory gods you are writing about are related to the ones I am attaching here. My son brought them from China in the 80's.

The Eight Chinese Immortals

Your figures represent the Eight Chinese Immortals.  Often depicted together in a boat, the immortals, too, have identifying attributes, histories and functions.  From the image you have:

Cao Gou Jia – cymbals or castenets

Lan Cai – basket of flowers

Zhang Gou Lao – bamboo rods

He Xian Gu – Lotus flower

Zhong Quan – belly and feather fan

Han Xiang Zi – flute

Lu Doug Bin – sword and

Lie Tie Guai – crutch and double gourd.

For their histories and the mythology surrounding them I highly recommend Jan-Erik Nilsson’s website at www.Gotheborg.com.  Begun in 1999 as a means for collectors of Chinese and Japanese porcelain to share information, the site and its discussion group members are a marvelous resource for details about Asian iconography and folklore.  

Your figures appear to be ivory.  You cannot sell them so enjoy their stories!

Japanese Ivory Figures - Who are they and are they legal?

I inherited a small collection of ivory figurines that were purchased in China in 1947-8.  My understanding is that these items cannot be sold, but do you know where in the San Francisco bay area we might be able to donate?

These Seven Lucky Gods were purchased 70 years ago.  Is it legal to have them?

Laws regulating the sale of ivory have evolved over the past few decades.  In July 2016, President Obama signed a Federal law banning the sale of African ivory.  This ban served to both protect elephants and to eliminate the huge underground market for poachers. 

California laws are even stricter.  California Fish and Game Code section 2022 outlines the ban and exceptions.  The bill signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown took effect in July 2016. It details that rhino horns, teeth and tusks of elephants, hippos, mammoth, mastodon, walrus, warthog, whale and narwhal may no longer be purchased, sold, or possessed with the intent to sell. The expansive list of animals involved in the prohibition prevents traffickers from deceitfully advertising prohibited elephant ivory as coming from another species.

Owning your ivory figures if perfectly legal, as is giving them as a gift.

For clarification, I spoke with Lt. Chris Stoots of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.   Lt. Stoots confirmed that nothing in the law prohibits the possession or transport of ivory as long as there is no monetary exchange or commercial transaction. 

The law has exceptions:  ivory or rhino horn that is part of a “bona fide antique” with historical documentation and where the ivory comprises less than 5% of the volume of the piece is allowed.  (For example, your 100-year-old silver tea set with ivory insulators can be sold.)  Also allowed is the ivory or horn as part of a musical instrument (fiddle bow, piano keys) provided the ivory is less than 20% of the volume of the piece and the piece can be documented as having been made prior to 1975. 

For the text of the law go to California Fish and Game Code section 2022 (a).

So what do you do with your ivory?  You can surrender it to Fish and Game where they may use it for educational and training purposes. They also may use it in their forensic lab to establish a database of ivory types.   (Ivory, like gemstones, has distinctive patterns of lines.  By measuring the angles of these lines researchers can differentiate between elephant, mammoth or bone.)

You can give it as a gift. You can donate it for educational purposes (you cannot take a tax deduction for the donation – remember if ivory cannot be sold it has no monetary value). 

Your figures comprise a full set of Seven Lucky Gods.  These Japanese deities are derived from figures in different cultures and religions – Buddhism, Taoism and Shintoism –but as a group they bestow prosperity, luck, longevity, contentment and safety. 

From left to right they are Jurojin, Daikoku, Fukorokujo, Hotei, Benten, Ebisu and Bishamon.  In my next column I’ll explain who is who, their attributes and their apotropaic functions.