As a full-time antique collector and a part-time music lover, I have always wanted to add an old music box to my collection. And while looking for a perfect addition, I stumbled on Reuge!
I was quite surprised to learn that it was a celebrity antique owned by the Dalai Lama, Jack Ma, and even Barack Obama. So, it had a huge demand! So I researched all the dates and materials that make a Reuge music box a precious collectible! And today, I will be sharing it all with you!
Key Takeaways
- Aged Reuge music boxes with superior Swiss movements, Walnut walls, and 72-note winders are older and more precious than others.
- Antique Reuge music boxes with Wood, Ivory, Mother-of-Pearl, or Metal walls cost more due to their handmade finishes and lacquers.
- Old Reuge boxes have three tunes – Traditional, Multiple & Custom. Of these, the ones with Cylindrical or Singing bird movements cost more, even up to $3000.
- You’ll get two types of old Reuge boxes: Studio and Lounge. The Lounge ones cost more due to their precise yet customizable notes and tunes.
Notable Features of Vintage Reuge Music Boxes
You all might have seen the common electric or gas-powered music boxes. But, the old Reuge ones were manual – with cylinders, discs, and pins for the notes. Here are other ages features to spot a real vintage music box:
- Durable Swiss Movements with handcrafted tuning, gears, and springs
- Hand-cut and seasoned Mahogany, Walnut, or Cherry frames
- Manual, Mechanical winding with a key or crank at the bottom
- 120 – 160 mm boxes with 72-note movements
- Might have rotating features like spinning ballerinas or moving paintings
- Might have Horology clocks, Singing birds & Picture frames
A Brief History of Old Reuge Music Boxes
Did you know that Charles Reuge made the first music pin for pocket watches? So, you’ll see pocket watch clamps, cylinders, and Swiss movements in the earliest models. But later, in the 1870s, he separated the two and focused on cuboidal music boxes.
But such boxes had only one tune and design. So in the 1900s, Charles’s son Albert added compacts, tobacco pipes, round walls, and lights to each. Some also had handmade finishes and Swiss movements that hiked the costs to $5000.
However, in the 1980s, Reuge faced an economic backlog. So, they handed some shares to Kurt Kupper and collaborated with co-brands to raise money. These new models had similar, machine-made designs, making them common.
Antique Reuge Music Box Types (With Values)
Now, people obviously didn’t use the same music notes for lounging and studio work. So, there were two main types of Reuge music box types as follows:
1. Studio Music Boxes
As the name says, these music boxes were for studio work with focused 36 – 40 notes and multiple play tunes for each. You’ll also see superior metal bases, crystal balls, and leather covers for zen-style melodies. Usually, they cost around $100 – 1700.
Top Collectibles: Winch Music Box, Swinging Heart & Reverse Box.
2. Lounge Music Box
Reuge Lounge music boxes are personalized, 72-note boxes worth $500 – 4500. Such models have shiny glass lids and nickel bases with customizable tunes. Plus, you can spot Baroque walls, each with intricate ebony carvings with an archaic charm.
Special Models: The Crescendo, The Arche & Opera Music Box.
7 Steps to Identify and Value Vintage Reuge Music Box
The final music box resale price largely depends on its age, shape, and many other factors. Let’s see how!
1. Track the Music Box’s Manufacturing Date & Age
To find out if your Reuge music box is OLD & AUTHENTIC, rotate the box and look for an embossed date or label at the base. Also look for crude, stationary designs, moving figurines, and carvings as in the old models.
But if you didn’t get any labels, check out these visual cues for help:
| Old Reuge Music Box Years | Age | How to Identify? | Estimated Value |
| Pre-1860s | 160 – 173 years | Simple pocket watch clasps with a mechanical sensor that plays notes when the case is opened | $500 – 3000 |
| 1880s | 134 – 143 years | Solid wood walls with mechanical winders and single-tune notes | $500 – 4000 |
| 1900 – 1940 | 83 – 123 years | Thick Ivory or Mother-of-Pearl walls with complex, multiple-tune cylinders and Swiss movements | $300 – 2000 |
| 1940 – 1960 | 63 – 83 years | Rotating Singing bird or Ballerina movements, metal box walls, and Porcelain side carvings | $250 – 3000, as per the animation |
| 1970s | 40 – 50 years | Cabinet-style music boxes with multiple movements, carvings, and interchangeable cylinders | $100 – 1800 |
Try to get old Reuge music boxes with pin-lever cylindrical or disc mechanisms for an old make.
2. Check the Materials
Just like other antiques, the oldest 1900s music boxes had wood – Mahogany or Walnut walls. But then, in the 1930s, makers shifted to metals and glass panels for their cost-effectiveness. And by the 1950s, they had internal, tufted silk or velvet walls too!
So, let’s see how to appraise these different Reuge music box materials:
| Vintage Reuge Music Box Materials | Average Price |
| Wood – Mahogany, Walnut & Cherry | $400 – 5000 |
| Ivory & Mother of Pearl | $900 – 3000 |
| Metal – Brass, Steel & Bronze | $150 – 3000 as per the condition |
| Gold & Silver | $700 – 4000, as per the purity |
| Glass & Crystal | $100 – 1500 |
Pick Reuge music boxes with extra accessories like feathers, twigs, gemstones, and diamonds for high returns.
3. Observe the Surface Finishes
One of the easiest ways to verify a Reuge music box is to check its finish! So, open the box and feel the sides with your hand. If it feels smooth or waxed, it might be an old 1900s music box. But, if it has shiny inlays or gold plating, it might be new, from the 1950s.
Below are some other clues to identify and value such finishes:
| Old Reuge Box Finishes | Identification Features | Estimated Cost |
| Polished Wood Varnish & Lacquers | Smooth, waxy appearance with a semi-gloss finish | $500 – 4000 |
| Mother of Pearl Inlays | Geometric, floral, or meshed surfaces with a matte texture | $600 – 1000 |
| Metal Accents | Shiny Brass, Gold-plated, or Silver surfaces | $100 – 2500, as per the condition |
| Velvet or Silk Lining | Semi-gloss, textured walls with pleated or satin-smooth surfaces | $90 – 500 |
4. Analyze the Music Box Movements
Vintage Reuge music boxes work on different mechanical movements like Cylinder, Disc, Singing Bird & Polyphonic. Among these, the oldest 1900s ones have Cylindrical or Disc movements, while the 1950s ones might be custom or singing-bird-like.
So, you can price them as per their mechanism, and here’s how:
| Reuge Music Box Movements | How do they Work? | Average Value |
| Cylinder Movement | Consists of a rotating cylinder with protruding pins, metal combs, and teeth | $200 – 2500 |
| Disc Movement | Works on replaceable metal discs, holes, and slots that produce sound | $500 – 1500 |
| Singing Bird Movement | Works on automated bird movements that rotate, strike a chord, and produce a tune | $500 – 3000 |
| Orchestral Movement | Uses multiple cylinders, discs, and combs for a richer, layered sound | $200 – 1800 |
| Polyphonic Movements | Work on multiple note keys and levers for a dramatic, medium-pitch tune | $100 – 800 |
Antique music boxes with their original Brass discs, combs, flywheels, and winding keys cost 10 – 15% more than the restored ones.
5. Listen to the Tunes
You’ll get three tunes with old Reuge music boxes – Traditional, Multiple & Custom. Of these, the traditional ones, costing $300 – 4000, have classic or folk songs, while the multiple ones value $100 – 3000.
On the other hand, Reuge music boxes with custom notes are a bit pricey, at $500 – 4000. That’s because of unique mechanical movements and cylinders for different tune sets.
6. Check the Shapes & Designs
Now, I agree that most of the 1900s Reuge boxes had square or cuboidal sides. But by the 1950s, there were molded hearts or spherical forms too! So, let’s check their resale prices:
| Reuge Music Box Shapes | Estimated Price |
| Rectangular, Square & Cuboidal | $500 – 3000 |
| Cylindrical & Round | $300 – 2000 |
| Heart-shaped & Abstract Music Boxes | $100 – 700 |
| Sphere & Oval | $100 – 500 |
| Birdcage Shape | $700 – 4000 |
7. Observe the Colors
It’s not only about the shape! Even a Reuge music box’s color changes its value drastically. The old, pre-1900s models had wood walls, while the 1900s ones used black or white paint. And then, by the 1950s, we had red and green boxes, too!
Here’s a list of different colored musical boxes with their estimated prices:
| Reuge Music Box Colors | Estimated Value |
| Black, White & Gray | $200 – 1500 |
| Brown & Beige | $400 – 2000 |
| Metallic Gold & Silver | $700 – 4000 |
| Warm Colors – Red & Yellow | $100 – 800 |
| Cool Colors – Blue & Green | $300 – 1000 |
Get antique music boxes with old & handmade oxidized, lacquer or oil paint strokes for a good value.
6 Rarest & Most Valuable Reuge Music Boxes to Find!
Do you know some unique Rosewood or Celebrity-owned music boxes cost over $10,000? Crazy, isn’t it? Well, that’s because they might be from some exclusive series that’s rare today! So don’t forget to check the Reuge box’s history and base tags!
| Rare Reuge Music Boxes | Last Resale Value |
| Reuge Dolce Vita – 15 note melody | $13,700 |
| Johann Strauss Interchangeable Music Box | $8,500 |
| Handmade 50-note Swiss Music Box | $7,000 |
| Dauphin Crystal Music Box | $6,000 |
| Reuge Music Tissot with Pocket watch | $5,700 |
| Green enameled Silver Egg music box | $5,000 |
How Do You Clean an Old Reuge Music Box?
Ideally, an old Reuge box doesn’t need any cleaning – not with any cleaners or soap. Just dust the dirt and cobwebs with a wide-toothed brush and wipe it clean with a dry cloth.
Can You Oil an Old Reuge Music Box?
Avoid using oil or any common lubricants on your old Reuge box’s gears, as they may clog its system and disturb the tunes. Instead, use normal Aerosol lubricants like Alum-a-Lub.
How Long Does a 72-Note Reuge Music Box Play For?
A 72-note Reuge music box usually plays for 6-7 minutes. But the well-maintained or rust-free ones can even play for up to 10 minutes!
Now that you have our guide, I am sure you’ll be able to identify and appraise an old Reuge box yourself. So, start by identifying the type and then move on to the details like age and materials. Also, check the tags and stamps for any dates, tune names, or rare marks!
And if you want to learn about more musical antiques like ‘an old mandolin’ or ‘piano,’ join us now!
! have a Reuge 5-cylinder music box with a #305 in the base plate. I may have purchased it in the 1980’s. Label states “Interchangeable 72 lames 15 airs” Strauss, Mozart, Tziachowsky, etc. Any thoughts as to its value? It is in perfect condition.
Thank you