• Regina Music Box Models
• Regina Sublima Upright Music Box

Regina Music Box Company Description This music box was made by Regina Music Box Co. In Rahway, New Jersey, around 1897-1899. It is an Orchestral model. Regina Music Box Serial Number Lookup Posted on 6/3/2018by admin Wonderful Orchestral Regina music box in a mahogany case with nine 27″ discs. The serial number on it is 30780.

Copyright 2015 Lynn Bilton

This music box was made by Regina Music Box Co. In Rahway, New Jersey, around 1897-1899. It is an Orchestral model No. 5, serial #30836. The music box has a double comb of 86 teeth. This music box plays 27” diameter perforated metal discs. The music box has a lower cabinet for disc srorage. Any owner of a Regina disc music box can obtain the pedigree of their Regina in the form of a certificate showing the date it was shipped and to whom. Send the serial number of the machine, together with a $5 check made payable to the M.B.S.I., to MBSI, PO Box 10196, Springfield, MO.

SEE ALSO: Purchasing a Music Box, A Brief Tutorial
SEE ALSO: Our listings of Regina, Polyphon, Symphonion and other disc music boxes for sale
Jump to REGINA MODEL INDENTIFICATION and PICTURES

So you want to buy an antique Regina music box.

If I offered you a stock certificate for sale you'd probably want to know something about the company. Even if you didn't consult for Goldman Sachs,you'd probably inquire about the capitalization of the company, and the management team, and what sort of dividend it has been paying, and mostcertainly what the stock is trading for on the stock exchange. Unless your object in life is to be the financial doppelganger of a lamb led toslaughter, you wouldn't blindly buy thousands of shares.

And yet every week we seem to get a call from someone who has just spent thousands of dollars for a Regina or other antique music box, andhasn't a clue as to what he has purchased, and now discovers he needs expensive restoration and repairs.

This site can help. And though like your friendly stockbroker I have a vested interest in making some money from your purchase, just likeyour friendly stockbroker I try to offer you some good advice. I have been a dealer of Regina and other antique music boxes for over 30 years.

First, I recommend that you read our tutorial on purchasing an antique music box. In four shortpages you'll learn how to assess condition, estimate repairs, and otherwise impress and bedevil your spouse and children.

Then, please check out our listings of Regina and other disc music boxes for sale. If you don't seeexactly what you're looking for, feel free to contact me. I remain two credits short of my master's degree as a magician, but it's always possible I could make something appear, as I am acquainted with many dealers and collectors of Regina music boxes.

Regina isn't a synonym for music box, as in 'Do you have any Reginas for sale?'. There were brands large and small, foreign and domestic, all capable of producing a beautiful sound. In the United States, the domestic Big Three consisted of Regina, F.G. Ottto (Criterion, Olympia, Euphonion), and Imperial Symphonion, the local branch of the Germany Symphonion company. Regina, with its factory in Rahway, New Jersey, was certainly the best known of these companies, and the largest in the United States.

Regina was established in 1892 when Gustav Brachhausen, a founder of the Polyphon company, was sent to the United States to set up a factory. The earliest Reginas were little more than Polyphons disguised in domestic cases, but soon the boxes were equipped with combs and motors fabricated in Rahway. Sales were very strong from around 1895-1903, but changing tastes and the arrival of the talking machine as a competitor for musical entertainment conspired to end the era of the music box. Many music box competitors were out of business by around 1905, although Regina was still manufacturing a few machines as late as 1919.

The exquisite short bedplate machines, introduced around 1910, are considered the finest instruments Regina ever made and the pinacle of music box development. Around the time of the First Word War Regina shifted production toward a combination phonograph-music box dubbed the Reginaphone. A few very late Reginaphones were essentially Victrola knock-offs, with no music box components whatsoever. Regina later segued into the hand-pumped vacuum cleaner business.
Reginas were not trouble-prone machines, but like all music boxes they are susceptible to wear and oxidation of the bass leads, and it is necessary to thoroughly examine the combs, leads and dampers before purchase. ( If you find yourself saying 'What's that?', and don't understand what the leads and dampers do, kindly refer to our Beginner's Tutorial -- a few minutes of your time may save you thousands of dollars down the road.)

There are a few potential expensive repair issues specific to the Regina music box that I should now like to bring to your attention.

Dampers. Symptom: Your box squeaks. Or else some notes produce only a dull thump. Believe it or not, both these symptoms are caused by the same ailment -- damper disease. Regina, like most other manufacturers, employed laterally activated dampers. In Regina's case, the damper stalk was wedged against the side of the comb, and each damper had a tiny dimple pressed into it. As the star wheel moves towards the comb it rubs against the dimple, pushing the damper finger far enough away from the tooth for the note to ring true. Over the years the dimples wear and the dampers go out of adjustment. It's possible to regulate the dampers, but if your dimples are worn, Shirley Temple, your dampers won't work and the proper solution is to solder in a new damper, a process sometimes likened to do-it-yourself open heart surgery.

Star wheel gantry Sympton: You are examining a double comb machine. You rotate a star wheel. Instead of hearing both teeth ring simultaneously, you hear a PING-PING. This means that your combs are unhappy because they are out of sync, just like you don't function well on a day when you are out of sync. There are three screws under your bedplate that hold the star wheel gantry in place. The gantry contains soft solder. Over the years the screws loosen up and the gantry slides. You may, after a great deal of trial and error, be able to re-sync the gantry. Don't over torque the gantry set screws!

Motor Symptom: Motor doesn't work. I cover the usual inexpensive culprits such as the ruby in the antique music box tutorial. There are, however, a few expensive repairs that I've seen just enough of with the Regina music box to warn you about. Not a lot, but just enough.
The first is the possibility of a cracked spring barrel. You can usually get a good glimpse of the barrel by removing the slats adjacent your motorboard. If you are greeted by the ugly sight of your mainspring wedged against your sounding board you can look forward to the replacement of your barrel.
The second has to do with an intermediate style motor that was used on a small number of machines. I don't want to write an entire essay on Regina motors, and even if I did you wouldn't want to read it. I know this because I wouldn't want to read it either. So the best way I can describe this motor is to tell you that winds via a sort of large, internally geared, cast iron winding ring. This ring often cracks; you may sometimes find the pieces sitting in the bottom of the case. Nobody to my knowledge has this gear available, so unless your brother is a master welder and machinist you may be out of luck.

As I noted in the antique music box tutorial. almost all replacement parts for your Regina music box must be hand made. If your puchase requires combwork, consider the following. There are a lot of animals in the zoo. There are thousands of animal species not in the zoo. There may be thousands of species yet to be discovered. But there is no such animal as a new comb. Teeth must be individually replaced, a difficult and time-consuming task. That being said, a few more replacement parts may be available for Regina music boxes as opposed to competitor brands, and this may include items such as star wheels, dampers, dishing wheels, and lid pictures. Try Nancy Fratti for parts or Regina music box repair.

Although it's certainly possible to land a hundred year old Regina music box in original mint condition, many examples will require somedegree of restoration. A complete restoration, complete enough to overpower you with the beauty of your box, might include any or all of thefollowing: tightening of the gantry, replacement of bent star wheels, honing of the comb, retuning of the comb, replacement of broken or worndampers, regulation and adjustment of individual dampers, polishing and adjustment of the endless screw, replacement of worn idler anddishing wheels, and refinishing. This type of restoration may consume hundreds of hours of specialized labor, and will be reflected in the price. If yousee a box for sale on ebay or some other venue that is touted as 'completely restored' but seems inordinately inexpensive, it is because the seller'sidea of restoration differs from the musical box professional's, and that the box has probably been the victim of an amateur refinisher. Theanalogy would be hitting a hundred year old automobile with a can of spray paint.

Regina made a vast array of disc sizes and models. I have a complete listing of disc sizes below. Some of these discs have been reproduced by enterprising individuals over the years, and in a few cases brand new tunes have been cut. Will other brand discs swap with Regina? The following discs are interchangeable: 8 inch Regina and 8 inch Polyphon, 11 inch Regina and 11 inch Polyphon, 15.5 inch Regina and 15.5 inch Polyphon.

We also sometimes have extra original Regina music box metal disc records for sale. Please write or check our listings of music box parts and records.
Regina music box disc sizes
Eight inch
Eleven inch
Twelve and quarter inch
Fifteen and a half inch
Twenty and and a half inch
Twenty seven inch.
A 32' disc was cut for a star wheel-activated piano, but this instrument is not technically a music box. Also, some discs around 12' in diameter were cut for the Regina chime clock, but this instrument again is technically a star wheel activated set of chimes, and not a music box.
I have pictures for you of a few of the Regina models, referred to as 'styles' in Regina literature, but what I have is not comprehensive. If you want an authoritative listing and history of the company the standard reference is The Encyclopedia of Automated Musical Instruments by Q. David Bowers. Published and researched over 30 years ago, this book is still referred to by collectors as The Bible.

Are there any reproduction Regina music boxes for sale to beware of? Yes, but barely. After the Regina music box company went out of businessLloyd Kelley bought some of the remaining parts and the right to the name. Sometime in the 1950s or 60s (I don't have an exact date) heassembled some reproduction boxes. You don't often encounter them. These boxes were not of good quality, employing inferior combs, aluminum motors, and cases of cheaperconstruction. To an experienced collector the Kelley Reginas just look wrong, but I have seen them bite more than one unsuspectingindividual.

Regina Music Box Models

Regina Sublima Upright Music Box

• 15-inch Disc Musical Box by Regina, c. 1890,15-inch Disc Musical Box by Regina, c. 1890, carved oak cabinet, two combs on an iron bed plate cast with Regina serial number 33802, start/stop lever,
• REGINA DISC MUSIC BOX, The Regina Music BoxREGINA DISC MUSIC BOX, The Regina Music Box Co., Rahway, New Jersey, style 13, serial #69275, c. 1904-1906, playing 15-1/2' discs on single comb, table
• REGINA 'CORONA' UPRIGHT AUTOMATIC CHANGERREGINA 'CORONA' UPRIGHT AUTOMATIC CHANGER MUSIC BOX, American, ca 1899-1910. A Regina mahogany upright case music box with automatic changer. Case with
• TABLE MODEL DISC MUSIC BOX, attributed toTABLE MODEL DISC MUSIC BOX, attributed to The Regina Music Box Co., Rahway, New Jersey, table model style 11, playing 15-1/2 discs on single comb, lift-top
• REGINA STYLE 35 AUTOMATIC DISC CHANGING MUSICREGINA STYLE 35 AUTOMATIC DISC CHANGING MUSIC BOX, Regina Music Box Co., Rahway, New Jersey, Home model, serial #51120, c. 1907. The mahogany cabinet on
• Antique Regina Music Box, Regina single combAntique Regina Music Box, Regina single comb music box for 15.5' discs, early 20th c., serial # 22487 on bedplate, oak cabinet, rope molding, original
• REGINA TABLE MODEL NO. 15 DUPLEX COMB DISCREGINA TABLE MODEL NO. 15 DUPLEX COMB DISC MUSIC BOX, Regina Music Box Co., Rahway, NJ, serial #36181, c. 1905. The rectangular, lift-top mahogany case
• REGINA CORONA STYLE 8A AUTOMATIC SELF-CHANGINGREGINA CORONA STYLE 8A AUTOMATIC SELF-CHANGING DISC MUSIC BOX, Regina Music Box Co., Rahway, N.J., serial #46253, c. 1899, having a twin-comb movement,
• REGINA TABLE MODEL NO. 11 DUPLEX COMB DISCREGINA TABLE MODEL NO. 11 DUPLEX COMB DISC MUSIC BOX ON CABINET, Regina Music Box Co., Rahway, NJ, serial #53340, c. 1904. The rectangular, lift-top oak
• REGINA STYLE 34 AUTOMATIC DISC-CHANGING MUSICREGINA STYLE 34 AUTOMATIC DISC-CHANGING MUSIC BOX, Orchestral Corona, Regina Music Box Co., New York, serial #65611, c. 1908. The oak cased music box plays
• REGINA TABLE MODEL 13 SINGLE COMB DISC MUSICREGINA TABLE MODEL 13 SINGLE COMB DISC MUSIC BOX, Regina Music Box Co., Rahway, NJ, serial #49392, c. 1902. The rectangular lift-top mahogany case houses
• REGINA TABLE MODEL NO. 11 DUPLEX COMB DISCREGINA TABLE MODEL NO. 11 DUPLEX COMB DISC MUSIC BOX, Regina Music Box Co., Rahway, NJ, serial #24428, c. 1898. The rectangular, lift-top oak case houses
• FLOOR MODEL REGINA MUSIC BOX - Circa 1900FLOOR MODEL REGINA MUSIC BOX - Circa 1900 Regina 'Corona' Model 33 Floor Cabinet Music Box in Honduras Mahogany Case with a 12-disc automatic changer double
• REGINA OAK 15 1/2' DISC MUSIC BOX WITH DISCS:REGINA OAK 15 1/2' DISC MUSIC BOX WITH DISCS: Oak case with original Regina lithograph inside hinged lid, rope twist and gadroon accents, single comb,
• REGINA DISC MUSIC BOX ON CABINET, The ReginaREGINA DISC MUSIC BOX ON CABINET, The Regina Music Box Co., Rahway, New Jersey, style 39, serial #3900337, c. 1905-1917, playing 20.75'D metal discs on
• Regina 27' Sublima Corona Automatic DiscRegina 27' Sublima Corona Automatic Disc Changer Music Box, Style 34 Regina 27' Sublima Corona automatic disc changer music box, style 34 with gallery
• 19th c. Regina music box w/ 16 music discs19th c. Regina music box w/ 16 music discs Regina mahogany music box, 19th century, having a hinged lid with a gadrooned dome top, opening to the double
• Rare Regina Standing Music Box: American,Rare Regina Standing Music Box: American, late 19th century. A Regina Music Box Co. bowfront upright music box with mahogany case, carved crest with clock,
• TALL CLOCK W/ SETH THOMAS MVMNT & REGINATALL CLOCK W/ SETH THOMAS MVMNT & REGINA MUSIC BOX: A circa 1890 oak tall clock, old if not original finish, painted metal dial with gold Roman numerals,
• Antique Regina Double-Comb Music Box, forAntique Regina Double-Comb Music Box, for 15 1/2' discs, serial #57735 on bedplate, walnut veneer cabinet, string inlay on sides, lid and front, underside
• REGINA 8' MUSIC BOX WITH 5 DISCS: SingleREGINA 8' MUSIC BOX WITH 5 DISCS: Single comb, winding mechanism on top near comb. Serial number 42178. Mahogany case with Dutch scene insert. Plays beautifully.
• REGINAPHONE MUSIC BOX ON CABINET FLOOR STANDREGINAPHONE MUSIC BOX ON CABINET FLOOR STAND WITH DISCS, the Regina Music Box Co., Rahway, N.J., serial #1390126, c. 1900. The mahogany cased music box
• Regina Corona Model 35 Antique music boxRegina Corona Model 35 Antique music box disc changer, mahogany case, serial #50025, manufactured circa 1899-1910, original finish, with some scratches
• Regina Orchestral 27' cabinet model musicRegina Orchestral 27' cabinet model music box, Style 5, circa late 1890's/early 1900's, mahogany case, double comb, serial number 30601, formerly a coin-op
• Regina mahogany coin-operated disc musicRegina mahogany coin-operated disc music box circa 1895; serial number 28223, with 25 15 1/2 in. metal discs, 12 in. H., 22 in. W., 20 in. D.
• Regina mahogany disc music box circa 1895,Regina mahogany disc music box circa 1895, with 24 15 1/2 in. discs; serial number 13257, interior with allegory of music lithograph decoration, 12 in.
• Double Comb Style 11 Regina Music Box. DescriptionDouble Comb Style 11 Regina Music Box. Description Serial number 37191. Coin-op, two plays for one cent. No missing teeth. Plays well. Mahogany cabinet
• An Antique Regina Mahogany Disc Music Box,An Antique Regina Mahogany Disc Music Box, c. 1898, serial number 38854, with one disc (diameter 15 1/2 in.), case: height 12 in., width 22 in., depth
• Regina music box, serial number 75243, serpentineRegina music box, serial number 75243, serpentine case with stained birch or mahogany, double comb mechanism, case 13-1/2 x 22 x 20 in., with sixty-eight
• Regina music box, mahogany case, serial numberRegina music box, mahogany case, serial number 62730, latest patent date 1897, base with original paper label dated 1896, 'Style No. 29', with
• Regina Music Box Model 11A, serial numberRegina Music Box Model 11A, serial number 14169, oak case, 10-3/4 x 22-1/2 x 20-1/2 in., possibly old refinishing; with forty-four 15-1/2 in. discs, good
• Regina 15 1/2' disc fancy mahogany casedRegina 15 1/2' disc fancy mahogany cased music box circa 1900 mahogany case with style 11 musical mechanism; with celluloid plaquette inset lithograph
• Regina Corona Model 35 Antique music boxRegina Corona Model 35 Antique music box disc changer mahogany case serial #50025 manufactured circa 1899-1910 original finish with some scratches
• An antique Regina music box, coin-operated,An antique Regina music box, coin-operated, in mahogany case, serial #26007, single comb, includes twelve 16' discs, working condition (no coin necessary
• Regina Single Play Upright Music Box StyleRegina Single Play Upright Music Box Style #24. Serial #31777; shipped from the factory on June 30, 1899. Quarter sawn oak case, nice old patina. Forty
• MAHOGANY REGINA 15 1/2' MUSIC BOX AND STAND:MAHOGANY REGINA 15 1/2' MUSIC BOX AND STAND: Music box with shaped top gadroon edge, carved corners and base. Double comb, serial number 33927, original
• Regina table top double comb music box, ca.1895Regina table top double comb music box, ca.1895 plays 15.5 inch discs. Serial number 1226. Mahogany case. Includes one disc. All teeth are intact. Works.
• Sale 321 Lot 812 * A Regina DiscSale 321 Lot 812 * A Regina Disc Music Box on Stand, early 20th century, serial no. 38753, playing 15 1/2 inch discs on a single comb, in a
• REGINA MUSIC BOX. Germany, dated 1890. BeautifullyREGINA MUSIC BOX. Germany, dated 1890. Beautifully restored golden oak, brass sounding board with a double comb, crank wind. Classical scene on interior
• - Regina oak cased disc player, serial #12868, - Regina oak cased disc player, serial #12868, no discs 8”h.x13”w.x12”d. - |
• Regina Double Comb Disk Music Box FancyRegina Double Comb Disk Music Box Fancy carved oak case. Serial #27689. Original emblem. 21 - 15 1/2' disks
• COIN OPERATED MUSIC BOX - Regina TabletopCOIN OPERATED MUSIC BOX - Regina Tabletop Coin-Operated 16' Disc Machine, serial no 23052. Oak case with walnut stain, with interior loose crank (present),
• COIN OPERATED MUSIC BOX - Regina TabletopCOIN OPERATED MUSIC BOX - Regina Tabletop Coin-Operated 16' Disc Machine, serial no 23052. Oak case with walnut stain, with interior loose crank (present),