Animated Rocking Chair Music Box

Submitted by Bob Ramsdell February 15th, 2011
Certifikitsch Winner

Old Grandpa is dozing off in a rocking chair. When you wind up the music box,  it plays “Try to Remember” from “The Fantasticks” one of the longest running plays ever. I saw it once in San Francisco in the mid 1960’s.

3 Responses to “Animated Rocking Chair Music Box”

  1. Allee Willis

    As someone who spent five years writing a musical, The Color Purple, the last thing I want is some grandpa snoozing off in his chair while he listened to one of the songs!! Then again, although the melody is gorgeous “Try to Remember” was never one of my favorite songs so I might be caught napping too. I think this was because the song was so popular I just got tired of hearing it.

    You say it’s a music box. Is there anything on it that opens up to reveal a box?

  2. Bob Ramsdell

    Allee,

    I checked the music box which is under where Grandpa sits. There are
    several screws holding it in place including 2 that are inaccessible.
    I think when it was assembled (in Taiwan) the rockers were glued to
    the chair.

    I have gotten into a few music boxes I have to check out the
    mechanism. I have a large (9″ to 10″) beer stein my brother sent me
    from Germany which he got in Germany when he was stationed there after
    the war. The music box plays a German drinking song but only when you
    lift it up, I suppose to urge the drinker to down the beer and ask for
    a refill. I took the bottom off and found the name of the song and
    several manufacturer’s marks. Maybe I will take a picture of it and
    put it in the museum. What classification would it be in?

    Bob Ramsdell