Estimate

40.000 - 60.000

Session 2

23 May 2018

Hammer Price

Description

It is a very surprising piece that combines a violin triggered by metallic components and accompanied by a 44 notes mechanical piano
It is electrically powered, with a coin trigger and uses pierced cylinders with wide musical selections, from the classics to popular songs
Mahogany cabinet, marked Mills Novelty Co, Chicago
With five Mills cylinders in its original boxes

170x109x79 cm

Category

Objects

Additional Information

The inventor of the Mills Violano-Virtuoso was Henry Konrad Sandell, contemporary of Thomas Edison, a young talented engineer working at the Mills house in Chicago. The first model was manufactured in 1909 and its commercialization occurred arround 1911 being considered, at the time, one of the wonders of the modern technology.
A similar model was in New York waiting to be placed at the large ballroom of the Titanic wich unfortunately never happened. A similar piece is kept at the Museu de Música Mecânica of Portugal. Few examples are knowns in the world, especially working perfectly as the one now offered for sale.