Details
Image(s)
TitleSinging Bird Snuff Box with Slide Whistle Movement
Creator Frères Rochat
PlaceGeneva (Switzerland)
Year ca. 1840
Object number0877
Object categorymechanical wind instruments
DescriptionThe piston whistle (also called a slide whistle in English) uses only one pipe that is continuously adjusted in height by means of a slide. The invention of the piston whistle brought in a mechanism that took up significantly less space than, for example, a canary organ. In fact, it no longer required several organ pipes, but only one whistle.
The box itself is made of gilded silver and topped with an enamel medallion depicting a mountain landscape. When the locket opens, the mechanical bird emerges. The plate on which the little bird stands is engraved with an image of a bird.
Accompanying texts
In the 18th century, mechanically moving and whistling birds were popular. Toward the end of the 18th century, owing to the fact that the piston whistle mechanism could be very compact, bird cages containing mechanical birds were made smaller and smaller. In fact, the bird could be made so small that it could fit into all sorts of ornamental and utility items, including snuff boxes, watches and even a gun. The prices of these items were sky-high. They had enormous appeal to the wealthy of the time, even though the birds could not play a variety of popular music like other mechanical instruments. Tobacco was kept in snuff boxes like this one. Snuff boxes could be plain but many were luxuriously decorated and adorned, as here, with tiny mechanical singing birds.
A program disc contains the melody that the bird 'whistles'.
In the 18th century, mechanically moving and whistling birds were popular. Toward the end of the 18th century, owing to the fact that the piston whistle mechanism could be very compact, bird cages containing mechanical birds were made smaller and smaller. In fact, the bird could be made so small that it could fit into all sorts of ornamental and utility items, including snuff boxes, watches and even a gun. The prices of these items were sky-high. They had enormous appeal to the wealthy of the time, even though the birds could not play a variety of popular music like other mechanical instruments. Tobacco was kept in snuff boxes like this one. Snuff boxes could be plain but many were luxuriously decorated and adorned, as here, with tiny mechanical singing birds.
Dimensions
geheel height: 3.2 cm
geheel width: 9 cm
geheel depth: 5.7 cm
geheel width: 9 cm
geheel depth: 5.7 cm
Digital references