Owls attracted me somewhat. With their big, all-bright eyes – seeing everything. Tendencies to sit snuggly on lofty perches, observing the world as it trundles by.
Just recently I was entranced by a particular owl I found floundering in a dilapidated antique shop in my neighborhood. It was so small, I would have passed it by, but it sweetly called out to me with a tune I could not resist. Nestled in a mess of cracked tea cups, bits of fluff and loose sheet music I found my musical owl. Slipping it into my pocket, I sped for home.
Let me introduce you to my new Sankyo Owl; a musical box in the guise of a metal Strigidae.
My new pet has me completely intrigued. I know little of its origins except for a few clues left by its maker. The bottom of the box is stamped – JAPAN. And inside the head of the owl, is a tiny turning key which is engraved with the word Sankyo. Turning the key releases its song and with it my heart melts to the tiny tin tune.
The mystery propelled me to investigate more about my Sankyo. I am delighted to discover, with a little research, that Sankyo means “third one” in Japanese. And the Sankyo Seiki brand of Japan is considered to be a reputable maker of original and highly collectible music boxes. Sankyo was the first company to mass produce music boxes, with the goal to make Japan world famous for music boxes.
Sankyo Seiki of Japan started up after WWII, using the latest in automation. June 1948 the company produced its first musical box. The brand offers a variety of music boxes in Japan, and supplies movements (the musical gear-works) to other manufacturers. Sankyo Seiki proports itself as the biggest manufacturer of music boxes in the world, and advertises that it controls 50% of the market. Recently, it has started selling licenses for its music box tunes to cellular phone companies, for use as ring tones.
The company also makes magnetic and hologram card readers, appliance components, industrial robots and miniature motors. Yamada Akihiro, in Sankyo’s PR department says, “You might say we make products, but we think of ourselves as producing culture.”
For a generation that thinks a music box is a MP3 portable player, let me enlighten you.
Music boxes started as a 19th century automatic musical instrument, producing sounds by the use of a set of pins placed on a revolving cylinder or disc so as to strike the tuned teeth of a steel comb. They were developed from the musical snuff boxes of the 18th century; referred to as carillons à musique. Alec Templeton, an avid collector of music boxes and a professional concert musician, once noted that the tone of a musical box is unlike that of any musical instrument.
For those of you who think this sound may be out of fashion, you may wish to reconsider. Icelandic musician Björk makes use of disc-mechanism music boxes on her album Vespertine, with specially cut discs. Amsterdam-based composer Richard Barrett has written a four minute piece, Trace, for two diatonic music boxes. French musician, Colleen,released Colleen et les Boîtes à Musique in 2006 – an album composed of only music boxes.
Personally, I like to describe the sound as something precious. One which induces sleep, as well as a child-like nostalgia for simpler and gentler times. I dream that someday I will have my very own Sankyo robot to perform household duties, such as tucking me into bed at night.
7 comments
geekigirl
February 6, 2008 at 1:06 pm (UTC -5)
That’s so cute
Larry
May 13, 2008 at 7:41 am (UTC -5)
Could someone please send the email address of Sankyo ? I have a small cube 2 x 1.75 x 1 inch music box and do not know the name of the tune. It has B-559-55 and PIELLOT DE PIELLE written on it with the face of a clown on the other side. It looks like the song title was glued on and was lost.
Thanks for your help,
Larry
ed
January 12, 2012 at 9:20 am (UTC -5)
i have the same one theres a bat sym glued to the back but i cant read it right now gotta get a magnifi and have no light here looks like Bienot (de) in red. Biene
Zee
January 3, 2009 at 9:11 pm (UTC -5)
THANK YOU SO MUCH! I have been looking for years about information of the manufacturer of music boxes from Japan. I bought one as a little girl from an antique shop and have been searching for information about the maker. Your description of the music box key and makers mark also describe what is on my box. I am glad you found your cute owl. In the process you have helped me get closer to solving my own music box mystery. THANK YOU!
Zee
January 3, 2009 at 10:16 pm (UTC -5)
Larry, maybe this link will help. It has a long list of songs. Also, here is an English website for Sankyo.
http://www.orgel-honpo.com/listening30.html
http://www.nidec-sankyoshoji.co.jp/e/top.html
Nicole
September 18, 2010 at 1:38 am (UTC -5)
I have this very same music box. mine is different inside, it has a clear plate so that you can see the gears. I found mine while at the thriftstore about 2 years ago and while cleaning my room today I figured I would do some research on this piece
biscuits
March 13, 2011 at 12:04 pm (UTC -5)
Ok the easiest way to find out which song it is. Count the number of tines on the comb that will give you the note count.Somewhere on the pin cylinder is some letters or numbers. Go to there song list and cross reference in the right column next to the play button should be it. Main page has different song categories.