Seeking more information about this item:

I have a Criterion Disc Music Box.  I am looking for more information regarding this particular box.

The information I have was provided by a very nice woman at Panchronia Antiquities in Whitehall, NY.

Disc boxes were invented in 1884.  Criterion Disc Music Boxes were made by F.G. Otto & Son in New Jersey.  They were made up until about 1910 when the phonograph outdid the musical boxes.  The size of the discs is 11½" and the outside of the box measures 14".

Below are pictures of the beautiful box and a list of the accompanying discs.  Clicking on the pictures will bring up a larger and more detailed image.

 
  Disc Number Song Title

criterion1.JPG (558281 bytes)

???? Standing on the Corner Didn't Mean No Harm
?248 She Was Happy Till She Met You Song - Rosenfeld
3?4? The Tyrolean Nightingale Song
3?49 Doc Brown's Cake Walk Rag Time Dance
3006 ForSaken
3008 Morning Papers Waltz
3018 Obersteiger, Don't Be Cross
3032 Last Rose of Summer
3033 Stephanie Cavotie
3034 Artist's Life Waltz
3039 The Silver Fish
3041 Bitte Sohoen Polka
3043 Hebenera From Carmen
3046 Trovatore Miserere
3050 Kiss Waltz

criterion2.JPG (221960 bytes)

3051 Freischuetz Hunters' Chorus
3070 Radetzky March
3072 The Tyrolean & His Child
3076 Katy Mahone
3108 Lucinda's Jubilee
3116 The Pirates of Penzance Overture
3117 Happy Days in Dixie
3118 Whisper Your Mother's Name
3126 Faust Waltz
3132 Still Night, Holy Night Christmas Song
3133 The Gipsy Baron Treasure Waltz
3136 Dora Dean, Song
3137 Dear Little Pouting Miss Prue
3143 Dinorah, Dhadow Dance
criterion3.JPG (214266 bytes) 3152 La Czarina Russian Mazurka
3158 Glory Glory Hallelujah - John Brown
3159 I Love You In The Same Old Way
3225 She's A Thoroughbred Song - Wayburn
3240 The Black Hussah Dream Waltz: Milloecker
3244 Legend of the Bells from Bells of Borneville, Plamouette
3245 Olivette The Torpedo and The Whale Song - Audran
3246 Farewell My Own True Love Song
3247 Reissicers Waltz Weber's
3248 Afterwards Song, Millen
3250 In the Shadow of the Carolina Hills Song

If you have any information about this music box, please send an e-mail to daniel@disneyguys.com

This advertisement was taken directly from a December, 1898, Harper’s Monthly Magazine.