American Collectibles Guide

Where can one find American made music boxes? Good question. So, many of the premier music boxes are made in Italy, at least the inlaid box is made in Italy. Where the music mechanism is made is another question.

If I were looking for American made music boxes, my first stop would be the San Francisco Music Box Company (http://www.sanfranciscomusicbox.com/). They have many different forms of music boxes, although the origin of the box is not specified in the write-up of the item. The people on the 800 telephone number may be able to find out the origin of the music box you are looking at purchasing.

The American Music Box Company (http://americanmusicboxcompany.com/) advertises that some of their music boxes are made in the USA, although some are also imported. I have not found a web site where you can see and/or order their music boxes, so you may have to work though a local gift shop owner to find these music boxes.

One way to get an American made music box is to order a custom music box. In that case, although the music button will probably be made elsewhere, you may be able to specify that the box itself be made in the US. I had such a box made for my father, playing the VMI March, some time ago. The box itself is a nice wood with a satin finish, and he was pleased at the tune it played, being an alumnus of VMI. I do not remember where I found the box, but I would start looking by finding the source of the music and then see what the company offers are a container for the music.

One source for inc=formation about music boxes is the Music Box Society International (mbsi.org). Their site includes a list of historical music box makers, but someone there should have some information about current manufacturers.

The Music Box Company (http://www.themusicboxcompany.com/) has many lines of music boxes, including a category for hand crafts in the USA. Most of them seemed to be out of stock, but an inquiry to the company might establish when more would be available. These used a Swiss music mechanism, Reuge to be exact, one of the best music mechanism makers.

Finally, The Bradford Exchange (http://www.bradfordexchange.com/) provides a wealth of collectibles, including music boxes. The listing does not specify where the music box was made, but there a number of different styles available.

Finding a music box made in the US may require some digging, but you should be able to find a source with a little work. You can also work with the owner of a local gift shop to find sources that may not be available online. Good luck, and happy hunting.

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Finding interesting American souvenirs is as easy as walking into the neighborhood drug store, grocery store or Walmart. Most carry local postcards, and some carry souvenirs spoons, pennants, spoon rests, salt $ pepper shakers and even non-Christmas water globes. Most Love’s service stations carry a wide array of American and local souvenirs, including resin figurines, pots and children’s toys. This makes picking American travel souvenirs easy while on the road and away from home.

In San Antonio, I found a water globe with the River Walk in it. Appropriate, I thought. Many places have their most famous buildings or natural landmarks represented in these non-Christmas snow globes. The snow may still be white, or it can be glitter. The range of New York snow globes is quite wide, and would make an interesting collection in their own right.

For those with a practical bent, there are back scratchers and rulers with small scenes from the locale. Pencil cases can sometimes be found for a state or specific location, and there is the ubiquitous souvenir plate, although many have very low shoulders and pierced rims, making them only suitable for passing cookies or other non-liquid functions. Look for round metal or plastic trays with emblems of the state or location as well.

Stores near college campuses will carry various souvenirs with the college logo or sports mascot. You can also checkout the local bookstores for a “around here” section, and bring home some local color in the way of books written about the area. Don’t forget to check the children’s section of the bookstore for local color books.

One good source for local souvenirs are the museums in the area. They usually do not charge to go into the gift store, and you can shop without looking at the museum contents if time is pressing. Here again, do not forget the children’s section, where fun souvenirs are often found.

American souvenirs are readily available with just a little looking, even at “ordinary” store like gas stations and grocery and drug stores. Keep an eye out as you travel and begin or add to a collection you already have. Happy hunting!

The images on this post are from Stock Xchnge.

Go to the Table of Contents to see all the topics covered so far.

Click American collectibles to go to the latest entry on this site.

American Collectibles Guide

contemplating American collectibles in the 21st Century

American Made Music Boxes

Non-Christmas Snow Globes and Other American Souvenirs