This is an Ideal interchangeable cylinder music box, late 1800s, from Jacot & Sons, New York, New York.  The box could hold four cylinders with a number of different musical selections designed on each one.  A wound gearing mechanism provided the energy to move the cylinders, studded with carefully spaced tiny pins, which struck the comb teeth and created music.  Both the cover of the box and its cylinder  drawer were locked with the same key.

                                               A Contrast in Technologies.

This Ideal is in the dining room of a home build in 1880.  The machine was state-of-the-art in its time, as are the MacBook Pro® lap top computer and Blue Snowball® USB microphone today.  

Two other additions to the house are the fire extinguisher in the hallway and the floor vent for a forced air heat and air conditioning system, that the original owners would have embraced over what was available then.

With appreciation to the Dr. Small House,

Kankakee County Museum, Illinois