Thing or ding-dong?
You may have already noticed... the kitchen scale and hand mixer are everyday items without music!
The music-playing devices built into everyday items are listed below.
1) Lighter
Continental, Sankyo Tokyo (Japan), ca. 1970
This lighter with marbled sides features a golden kitten with crystal stone eyes. Inside the lighter is a small musical mechanism with 12 teeth and a comb. Light that thing!
2) Toilet paper holder with cylinder music box
Cuendet, L’Auberson (Switzerland), ca. 1960
With this toilet paper holder, it’s always a musical celebration when you need to take a quick break in the restroom! A cylinder music box mechanism is activated when the toilet paper roll is pulled. Then the song “Whistle While You Work,” familiar from the 1937 Disney animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, plays.
3) Liqueur bottle with cylinder music box
bottle, Georg Bestle, Copenhagen (Denmark), music box mechanism by Thorens, Sainte-Croix (Switzerland), ca. 1960
Fancy a sip of cherry liqueur? When you pour the drink, a little tune starts to play. The 18-note music box mechanism is located at the bottom of the bottle.
4) Kitchen scale
Netherlands, year unknown
You can use this to weigh your baking ingredients.
5) Candy dish with cylinder music box
Buhler (Switzerland), ca. 1950
This wooden dish, decorated with an engraved edelweiss flower, is a souvenir from a mountainous region such as the Alps. For those who love chocolates and small mechanical toys!
6) Beer mug with cylinder mechanism
mechanism unknown • former West Germany (Germany), ca. 1985
Cheers! This glass beer mug can play a tune thanks to a cylinder music box. There is a cannon on top of the lid. By carefully turning the cannon clockwise, you wind up the music box. When you open the mug’s lid—that is, while drinking—music plays!
7) Coaster with cylinder music box
Thorens, Sainte-Croix (Switzerland), ca. 1930
Do you have a hot teapot? Then place it on this beautiful coaster! During tea time, you can play a little tune by sliding the lever.
8) Hema Hand Mixer
China, 2026
Make the most delicious baked goods with this hand mixer!
9) Openwork water meter with cylinder music box
H. Meinecke, Hanover (Germany), cylinder music box, Sankyo, Tokyo (Japan), 1988
What is this thing? A real open-work water meter with a cylinder mechanism! The water meter is installed in an iron pipe. Behind the meter plate is the small cylinder mechanism with 18 teeth. When the meter valve is opened, the mechanism starts to turn.