Regina Music Box (ca.1890)

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The Regina Company was a manufacturer of mechanical musical instruments before it became a major vacuum maker.

History[edit]

In 1889, Gustave Brachhausen, the foreman of the Symphonion music box company based in Leipzig, created the polyphon Musikwerke in partnership with a Symphonion engineer Paul Riessner. Three years later, at the age of 35, Brachhausen expanded his enterprise to America by establishing the Regina Music Box Company. After sailing to America in September 1892, he leased some space in Jersey City, and with financing from Knauth, Nachod & Kuhne in Leipzig, Brachhausen set up shop in partnership with Riessner and Johannas J. Korner.

Initially, Regina imported their boxes from Polyphon, selling 11 and 15.5-inch models. Gradually, the movements were imported and assembled into American-made boxes. After a year of immediate success, Brachhausen purchased a 25,000-square foot building at 54 Cherry Street in Rahway. In a few years, Regina was manufacturing their products entirely in America, as Brachhausen accumulated patents.^[1] Regina established a nationwide distribution network by offering a 50% wholesale price to department stores and other retailers. He also lured one of Symphonion's arrangers, Octave Felicien Chaillet, to America, where he composed and arranged thousands of discs for Regina. In 1897, Brachhausen patented an automatic disc changer, and Regina established a service for installing and maintaining their coin-operated music boxes.

Regina boxes were seen as strong profit drivers partially because they created a steady revenue stream, as consumers would buy new discs to play on boxes they had already purchased.^[2] For a machine that cost $500, this was a relatively novel idea.^[3] Regina shipped 100,000 music boxes between 1892 and 1921, with sales topping out over $2 million a year. The company had 325 employees, and even as Symphonion established an American branch, Regina thrived as the market leader. Competition from the phonograph jeopardized the company in the early years of the 20th century, and in 1902, it dropped 'Music Box' from its name and started to diversify. Its first vacuum cleaner was a 2-person hand-pumped pneumatic model which sold poorly. In 1903, Knauth and company overtook the company to protect its investment, relegating Brachhausen to factory manager. New products continued to flood the market from the Regina company, everything from player pianos to copying presses. Eventually, the company went bankrupt in 1922.

The company introduced canister vacuum models in the 1930s. In the 1952, Regina introduced its more familiar stick model, the ElectrikBroom. During World War II, the company made bomb fuses. In the 1980s, CEO Donald D. Sheelen led a group of employees who purchased Regina for $38 Million in a leveraged buyout. Don Sheelen’s inventions cross the vacuum sphere from the basic vacuum cleaner to the steam cleaner. During the 90s, the Peanuts character Pig-Pen appeared in commercials. The “tools on board” idea, “cyclonic” vacuum technology, and the modern easy to use steam cleaner were all the brainchild of Don Sheelen. The Regina Company was eventually acquired by Philips Electronics in 1995. Oreck bought the company in 1997, and in 2000, it was sold to the Royal Corporation, which has sold the vacuums under the Home Depot brand ever since.^[4]

Major musical products[edit]

Reginaphone

Regina Music Box - Regina's music boxes were their original product, and they had an 80-90% share of the market at the company's peak. Regina music boxes use a flat metal disc, as opposed to a cylinder. Sizes ranged from 8.5 - 27 inches. The boxes were renowned for the rich tone, and they used a double set of tuned teeth.

A Reginaphone

Reginaphone - A response to the competition posed by the phonograph, the Reginaphone was a hybrid machine that played both music box discs and phonographs. Regina used a phonograph mechanism manufactured by the American Graphophone Company, which evolved into Columbia Records.

Coin Piano - Regina sold player pianos which were manufactured by other companies, sometimes putting German-made mechanisms into their own cases. One model was branded the 'Reginapiano'.

Concerto - The concerto used a 32-inch music box disc to control a player piano.

Phonograph - Regina branded several lines of phonographs, including the Hexaphone, Corona Talking Machine and Princess Phonographs.^[5]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^US Patent Office. Annual report of the Commissioner of Patents, 1896. p. 37]
2. ^The Menorah, Volume 22, p. 382
3. ^Billboard Magazine, July 20, 1846, p. 121.
4. ^Regina Vacuum Cleaners
5. ^Bowers, Q. Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical Instruments. Vestal Press, 1972. p. 170-173.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Regina Music Box Company.

• Regina Music Box Co. History With Photos.
• 'New York March' by Chaillet

Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Regina_Company&oldid=791536970'

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Disc type
La Campanella	Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and similar sized discs. 'La campanella' (Italian for 'The little bell') is the nickname given to the third of Franz Liszt's six Grandes études de Paganini, S. 141 (1851)..
Eternal Father	Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and similar sized discs. 'Eternal Father, Strong to Save' is a British hymn traditionally associated with seafarers, particularly in the maritime armed services..
Debussy First Arabesque	Thorens AD30 (4.5') The Two Arabesques (Deux arabesques), L. 66, is a pair of arabesques composed for piano by Claude Debussy when he was still in his twenties, between the years 1888 and 1891.
Artist's Life	Mira 12' Künstlerleben ('Artist's Life'), Op. 316 is a waltz written by Johann Strauss II in 1867, following closely on the success of the popular 'The Blue Danube'.
College Hornpipe	Mira 12' The College Hornpipe is a traditional hornpipe melody. Fiddler'more frequently refer to it as 'Sailor's Hornpipe'
Von fremden Ländern und Menschen	Mira 12' From 'Scenes from Childhood'), Op. 15, by Robert Schumann, a set of thirteen pieces of music for piano written in 1838.
Schubert 'Serenade'	Mira 12' 'Ständchen', D 889, (known in English by its first line 'Hark, hark, the lark' or 'Serenade') is a lied for solo voice and piano by Franz Schubert, composed in July 1826.
Boccaccio March	Mira 12' Boccaccio, oder Der Prinz von Palermo (Boccaccio, or the Prince of Palermo) is an operetta in three acts by Franz von Suppé.
Rule Britannia	Mira 12' 'Rule, Britannia!' is a British patriotic song, originating from the poem 'Rule, Britannia' by James Thomson and set to music by Thomas Arne in 1740.
GreenSleeves	Mira 12' 'Greensleeves' is a traditional English folk song and tune.
Miserere (Il Trovatore)	Mira 12' Il trovatore (pronounced [il trova'to?re]; Italian for 'The Troubadour') is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto largely written by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play El trovador (1836) by Antonio García Gutiérrez.
La Vie Parisienne Tyrolienne	Mira 12' La vie parisienne (French pronunciation: ?[la vi pa?izj?n], Parisian life) is an opéra bouffe, or operetta, composed by Jacques Offenbach.
William Tell Tyrolean Chorus	Mira 12' Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868)
Fur Elise	Polyphon 9' Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor (WoO 59, Bia 515) for solo piano, commonly known as 'Für Elise' (German: [fy??? ?e'li?z?], English: 'For Elise'), is one of Ludwig van Beethoven's most popular compositions. he identity of 'Elise' is unknown; researchers have suggested Therese Malfatti, Elisabeth Röckel or Elise Barensfeld.
Pachelbel Canon in D	Polyphon 9' Pachelbel's Canon is the common name for an accompanied canon by the German Baroque composer Johann Pachelbel in his Canon and Gigue for 3 violins and basso continuo .
Santa Lucia	Polyphon 9' 'Santa Lucia' (Italian: ['santa lu't?i?a], Neapolitan: ['sand? lu'?i??]) is a traditional Neapolitan song.
Early One Morning	A very old English Folk Song. Many of my folk-singing friends tell me this song was among the very first they ever learned.
1812 Overture - Tchaikovsky	This disc has the most notes of any 15.5' Disc I have done. Difficult to get the cannon shots on a music box!
Still, Still, Still	The melody is a traditional folk song from the State of Salzberg. With words, it is known as an Austrian Christmas Carol and Lullaby.
Andante - Symphony 6. I (Pathetique) Tchaikovsky	From Tchaikovsky's final completed symphony. According to Wikipedia, 'Pathetique' means either 'passionate' or 'emotional'.
Nimrod	One of the variations in Edward Elgar's 'Enigma Variations'
Linger In Blissful Repose	A sweet, relaxed Stephen Foster melody.
Morning Mood	Another piece from Edvard Grieg's Peer Gynt.
Galway Bay	A straight-forward Irish arrangment.
Air (On the G String)	For the music box arrangement, I listened to Bach's original music: Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068, rather than August Wilhelmj's arrangement.
Concerto #21 2nd Mv. Mozart	Associated with the film 'Elvira Madigan'.
Polonaise, Op. 53 Chopin	A solo piano piece, often played at piano competitions the world over. Chopin is great fun to try to get onto a music box disc.
Onward Christian Soldiers	The well-known English Hymn
Chopin Nocturne Opus 9.2	A 'Nocturne' is alternately described as a musical piece 'inspired by the night', or 'usually played in the evening'.
Von fremden Ländern und Menschen	From Robert Schumnn's piano pieces 'Scenes from Childhood'
The Gay Gordons	thanks to Bob Mersey for the original Polyphon disc after which this arrangement is closely based.
Zu Bethlehem Geboren	Another Christmas Carol from Germany, although the melody supposedly comes from an old French song 'Une petite solid'.
Alle Jahre Wieder	A pretty Christmas Carol melody, most well-known in Germany
In The Hall Of The Mountain King - Grieg	From Edvard Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite. I first heard this in Fritz Lang's early sound film 'M'...very creepy!
Magic Flute Glockenspiel	From Wikipedia: The keyboard glockenspiel (French: jeu de timbre) or organ glockenspiel[clarification needed] is an instrument consisting of a glockenspiel operated by a piano keyboard. Half a century later, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart employed a strumento d’acciaio in The Magic Flute (1791) to represent Papageno's magic bells.
I Want A Girl (Just Like The Girl That Married Dear Old Dad)	Popular song of 1911 composed by Harry Von Tilzer. Arranged in 'Parlor Song' style, with hints of Barbershop Quartet.
Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms	Mira 12' For Similarly Sized Discs: Please Email Me
I Can't Help (Falling in Love with You)	Mira 12' The melody is 'Plaisir's d'Amour'
You Made Me Love You	Regina/Polyphon 15.5' For Similarly Sized Discs: Please Email Me An Upbeat version, in time for Valentine's Day
I've added Mira 6 7/8' Discs	See Listings: Mira 6 7/8'
Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs written by George Rosey adapted from Aeolian 8089 Piano Roll I am experimenting with trying to put Ragtime Piano Roll performances onto larger music box discs. This requires quite a bit of adapting/modification, especially in the bass. I wonder whether Ragtime 'purists' will approve! Opinions invited.
Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs written by Albert Gumble in 1910. Popular version by Spike Jones
Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs This version is adapted from a custom 19 5/8' Polyphon disc I recently arranged. Quoting from Wikipedia: The song was originally composed for the 1926 silent movie What Price Glory?, and most notably, the best-selling version, recorded by Guy Lombardo & his Orchestra, spent seven weeks at the #1 position in 1927.[1] It was also featured in the movie Two Girls and a Sailor. It was recorded by the Harry James orchestra in 1944.
Molly Malone (Cockles and Mussels)	Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
Adeste Fidelis Descant	Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
O Christmas Tree (after Lloyd G. Kelley)	Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
Jingle Bells (after Lloyd G. Kelley)	Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
The First Noel (after Lloyd G. Kelley)	Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
Falling Waters	Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
My Wild Irish Rose	Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
Waves Of The Danube	Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
Silver Sleigh Bells	Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
Midnight Fire Alarm	Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
Jerusalem	Regina/Polyphon 15.5' and Similarly Sized Discs
Silent Night - adapted from Lloyd Kelley Disc	Regina/Polyphon 12'/11'
Adeste Fidelis - adapted from Lloyd Kelley Disc	Regina/Polyphon 12'/11'
Marriage of Figaro Overture Part 1	Regina/Polyphon 12'/11'
Bahn Frei	Regina/Polyphon 12'/11'
Harmonious Blacksmith	Regina/Polyphon 12'/11'
Brandenburg Concerto #5	Regina/Polyphon 12'/11'
Frog Legs Rag - James Scott	Regina/Polyphon 12'/11'
Barcarolle - Tales of Hoffman	Regina/Polyphon 12'/11'
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral	Regina/Polyphon 15.5'
Come Christians Join To Sing	Regina/Polyphon 15.5'
Marriage Of Figaro Overture Part 1	Regina/Polyphon 15.5'
Marriage Of Figaro Overture Part 2	Regina/Polyphon 15.5'
Marriage Of Figaro Overture Part 3	Regina/Polyphon 15.5'
Marriage Of Figaro Overture Part 4	Regina/Polyphon 15.5'
Marriage Of Figaro Overture Part 5	Regina/Polyphon 15.5'
The Anniversary Song	Stella 15.5'
Brandenburg Concerto #5	Regina/Polyphon/Criterion 15.5'
Harp Concerto - Handel	Regina/Polyphon/Criterion 15.5'
The Mocking-Bird March	Regina/Polyphon/Criterion 15.5'
Regina/Polyphon/Criterion 15.5'
Underneath the Christmas Star	Regina/Polyphon/Criterion 15.5'
Rain Of Pearls	Regina/Polyphon/Criterion 15.5'
Dance Of The Hours (from Fantasia)	Regina/Polyphon/Criterion 15.5'
Debussy First Arabesque	Regina/Polyphon/Criterion 15.5'
When I Grow Too Old To Dream	Regina/Polyphon/Criterion 15.5'
Va Tacito (from Giulio Cesare - Handel)	Regina/Polyphon/Criterion 15.5'
Arrival of the Queen of Sheeba (Handel)	Regina/Polyphon 11'/12.25'
Can Can (Offenbach)	Regina/Polyphon/Criterion 15.5'
Arrival of the Queen of Sheeba (Handel)	Regina/Polyphon/Criterion 15.5'
TheHarmonious BlackSmith (Handel)	Regina/Polyphon/Criterion 15.5'
Panis Angelicus	Regina/Polyphon/Criterion 15.5'
Die Moldau	Regina/Polyphon/Criterion 15.5'
Entrance of the Gladiators	Regina/Polyphon/Criterion 15.5'

August 21, 2014

Now Offering Mira 12' Discs:
Mira 12' Disc Listings

October 31, 2013

I've added a few new Regina 15.5' Christmas Discs arranged with a DESCANT.
Wikipedia describes Hymn Tune descants as ' counter-melodies, generally at a higher pitch than the main melody', and quotes Athelstan Riley as writing of descants 'The effect is thrilling; it gives the curious impression of an ethereal choir joining in the worship below; and those who hear it for the first time often turn and look up at the roof!'

In these discs (See new release listings above) I've tried to capture the essence of descant, usually in the second half of the tune.

January 13, 2012

Britannia 9' Discs now available
Sankyo Orpheus 45N (Compatible)' Discs now available

November 14, 2011

A special series of discs based on the original compositions of Jana Cole has been added. 'Christmas Classics With A Twist Of Jazz'. For Thorens AD30 (4.5'), go HERE; For Thorens AD40 (11'), go HERE; and for Kalliope 9', go HERE.

April 09, 2011

Criterion 11 5/8' Discs now available

November 24, 2010
Because we are constantly adding new titles to many of our disc types,
The listings online do not include all of our available discs. In fact, we may be able to supply ANY title you may want. Please contact us by email.

New Thorens AD30 (4.5') Discs

Allegro con spirito k.448
Pathetique Sonata
Poco sostenuto - Vivace
Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 18 I. Moderato
Oboe Concerto in C Major K.314
Chopin Nocturne op. 9 no. 2
Chopin Etude op. 10 no.3 'Tristesse'
Chopin 'Heroic'
Beethoven Sonata #5 'Spring' Mvt. 1
Itsuki no Komoriuta
New Regina/Polyphon/Criterion/Olympia 15.5' Discs

Por Una Cabeza (Tango from Scent of a Woman)
La Cumparsita (Tango)
Ole Guapa (Tango)
Bonnie Blue Flag
GarryOwen
Cavalleria Rusticana Part 1
Cavalleria Rusticana Part 2 v1
Cavalleria Rusticana Part 2 v2

New Regina/Polyphon 12.25/11' Discs

Cavalleria Rusticana Part 1
Cavalleria Rusticana Part 2 v1
Cavalleria Rusticana Part 2 v2

New Polyphon 9 5/8' Discs

Dance Of The Snowflakes
He Is An Englishman
Britannia
Hark The Herald Angels Sing

April 28, 2010
New Regina 12'. Regina/Polyphon 11' titles include:

Air From Figaro's Wedding
Water Music Hornpipe Handel
Vivaldi Four Seasons Spring
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Etude No. 3, Opus 10 Chopin
Brahms Waltz in A flat
Bach Minuet #3
Beethoven Minuet in GM Part 1
Beethoven Minuet in GM Part 2

New Regina 15.5' title:

The Music Box
Copyright 2007 Kristen Anne Puttagio
Music written by Kristen Puttagio
for the 2009 Musical Box Society International Annual Convention
Available by special arrangement with the writer.
Discount available on this disc for MBSI Members
See 15.5' Regina/Polyphon

July 13, 2009
We've added new titles to many of our disc types.

Regina 8 1/4' Discs now available.

June 23, 2009
We've added new titles to many of our disc types.

Five New Titles for 15.5' Regina/Polyphon Discs:
Eine kleine Nachtmusik Rondo
Eine kleine Nachtmusik Menuetto
Eine kleine Nachtmusik Allegro
Vivaldi Four Seasons Spring
Water Music Hornpipe Handel

We've begun offering Kalliope 17 5/8' discs. Some of our discs
can be heard on youtube. Search for 'Kalliope', or 'HensTooth'.

January 07, 2009
We've added many new titles to most of our disc types.

Also, we are now offering Kalliope 9 1/4' Discs!
These discs will also play on the new reproduction
of the Kalliope made in Germany by MMM, called the 'Symphonion'.
Go HERE.

April 09, 2008

We may punch 8' Edelweiss (Thorens) Discs! Go HERE.

March 18, 2008

We now are punching 15 3/4' Criterion Discs! Go HERE.

March 8, 2008

New Title for 11' Thorens/Reuge Discs:
Hallelujah Chorus

All our New 11' Thorens/Reuge Discs are listed HERE.

March 4, 2008

Three New Titles for 15.5' Regina/Polyphon Discs:
Das Deutschlandlied
Christ The Lord Is Risen Today
Bright And Beautiful (W.H. Monk)

All our New 15.5' Discs are listed HERE.