Uses Music Boxes to Preserve Her Life Memories and Share Blessings with Friends
Chris (Taiwan）
Uses Music Boxes to Preserve Her Life Memories and Share Blessings with Friends
Chris (Taiwan）
Back in 2018, when Muro Box made its debut on the Taiwanese crowdfunding platform Zeczec, Chris was among the very first supporters of our N20—a 20-note app-controlled and programmable music box.
Through our monthly updates, she followed our challenging journey toward the first mass production. We’re deeply grateful for her patience and quiet support during those early days. In 2020, she finally joined our in-person pickup event and received her long-awaited N20 music box.
Fast forward to 2023, during the filming of our N40 crowdfunding video, Chris generously lent us many precious items from her personal music box collection. With her help, we were able to create a beautiful collector’s display cabinet that became the perfect backdrop for showcasing the N40 Sublime music box.
Below is the heartfelt story she shared with us—about why music boxes have always held a special place in her heart since childhood. We invite you to enjoy a glimpse into her treasured collection.
▲The BOLS Ballerina is an innovative liquor bottle released in 1957 by the Dutch distillery Lucas Bols, featuring a built-in music box and a rotating ballerina figurine inside the bottle.
Overture to a Lifelong Fascination with Music Boxes
Hello everyone, I’m Chris. I have a great love for handicrafts and fascinating mechanical structures. As someone on a budget, I’ve spent almost all my spare money supporting these wonderful hobbies.
When I was a child, my family and my great-uncle’s family lived together in a small apartment. We didn’t have many toys, but there was one thing in my great-uncle’s collection that deeply fascinated me. It was a small red ballerina inside a glass bottle. When you wound up the key at the bottom, the music of “The Blue Danube” would play, and the ballerina would rise onto her toes and spin gracefully. When you flipped the bottle upside down, golden flakes would float against the background. The beautiful sound and intricate mechanics captivated me completely.
This was the very first music box I ever encountered, and it sparked my lifelong passion for collecting music boxes.
Friendship and Longing Hidden Within Music Boxes
Among all the music boxes I have collected, the ones that touch me the most are those given by friends from my student days.
Even when they had a limited budget, they still chose gifts that showed their understanding of my personal interest. I also treasure the glass music box my mother brought back from the Otaru Music Box Museum during her trip to Hokkaido.
These commemorative music boxes hold the greatest value in my collection.
Music Boxes: Carriers of Heartfelt Sentiments
The dear friends who once gifted me music boxes inspire me to return the favor by giving them Muro Box music boxes—a precious cycle that continues the bond formed through music years ago.
For example, I recently gave a Muro Box to a very devoted friend whose late father had wished for a music box that could play different melodies. Gifting her a Muro Box not only fulfilled her father’s wish but also created a lasting memory filled with deep longing and cherished moments.
Thanks to Muro Box’s uniqueness and highly personalized design, I want to recommend it to anyone looking for meaningful gifts or seeking a one-of-a-kind lifestyle experience. This is truly a gift that will make recipients genuinely amazed—it’s more than just a music box; it’s a symbol of heartfelt intention.
Fulfilling a Friend’s Father’s Small Wish
My Taiwanese friend, Ms. Su, once shared a touching memory about her father and a music box.
One day, she went out with her father, who was nearly eighty at the time, and they stopped by a local gift shop. Her father became captivated by a music box displayed on the shelf—a familiar ballerina music box that spins as the melody plays. When she asked if there was anything he liked, he surprisingly pointed to the music box and said he was interested in it. Finding his childlike wonder endearing, she bought the music box as a gift for him.
However, when her father tried to play it at home, he asked, “Why does the music stop so quickly?” He had expected the music box to play continuously like a music player but was surprised to find it only played one tune and required manual winding. She still remembers the slight disappointment on his face. After that, the music box mostly stayed as a decoration and was rarely taken out.
After her father passed away, one day she noticed the music box no longer wound up well. She showed it to her younger brother, who managed to repair it, and the familiar melody came back to life.
In March this year, for my birthday, she gave me a music box featuring a crystal music ball with lights. I happily shared with her that I had also ordered an app-controlled and programmable music box—Muro Box—that allows you to freely change melodies and even assemble it yourself. That’s when she told me the story above about her and her father choosing a music box.
Right then, I decided to book a weekend in early May, just before her birthday, to accompany her to the Muro Box office to personally assemble her own N20 Standard model. To me, this was not just a birthday gift, but a way to honor her father’s wish and bring back memories of him.
The Making Process of a Personalized Music Box Memory
When giving a music box to a friend and wanting to keep it a mysterious surprise, I draw inspiration from the memories we share. I find a meaningful melody or a phrase that will touch her heart. If possible, I ask her to help choose the content that best represents her story, making the gift truly hers.
This year, I also bought an N20 Standard music box for another friend in Hong Kong—who, back in our student days, had used her part-time job earnings to buy me a wooden piano music box that I’ve treasured ever since. The laser engraving on the music box I gave her carries a blessing for her whole family: “Wish You All Have a Good Time.”
▲ A video recorded by Chris’s friend in Hong Kong after receiving the N20 Standard music box.
What truly touched and delighted me was how much she loved this heartfelt gift. She even wrote a special post sharing her feelings. The following is an excerpt from her article:
The magic of music boxes...
The melody from a music box is a sound that’s impossible to simply overlook, isn’t it?
I recall when my daughter was little, the rotating music box hanging above her crib. Once wound up, the big round eyes would gaze at the swinging hippo, lion, and giraffe. Listening to the crisp, bright melody, she would quickly calm down.
Seeing her reach out with those chubby little hands trying to catch the moving plush toys — that’s a fleeting memory of a young mother, alone in a foreign place, caring for a newborn. Within the constant winding and repeating melody, the joy of becoming a mother was tucked inside that turning music box.
This May, I received this music box full of wonder, and I felt I should write something about it. Beyond friendship, what I want to express is a feeling deeper than words can convey.
✧˚*･｡｡･*˚✧˚*･｡｡･*˚✧˚*･｡｡*˚✧
This music box, with its wooden case, feels flawlessly smooth to the touch. The transparent rounded cover shields the delicate “comb” inside, because such a crystal-clear heart needs dust-free protection.
I no longer have to wind it up again and again. The melody is no longer just the default tunes inside the mechanism but can be set in any order with songs of my choice. What’s more eye-catching is that it’s not just about playing preset melodies — it’s a platform where creators can share their works, arrange songs, or compose their own music, letting the notes flow out through the music box… becoming a melody.
♪(*^^)o∀*∀o(^^*)♪ーー ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶
To me, a music box is like a magician’s hat, holding secrets that only I can keep and the things I most want to share and resonate with others.
Holding it in my hands, the weight feels like the giver’s deep affection, carrying her joy and peace to me through the music box’s flowing melody—accompanying each other.
It truly feels like a masterpiece of heartfelt intention, something only a true music box enthusiast could create.
That’s what I think.
As for the music box I gifted myself, I chose an engraved phrase that reflects a personal aspiration—a reminder to always stay true to my original intention every time I see it.
For the design, I asked my daughter to create it for me: the adorable character she drew sitting atop a music box perfectly captures the image of a mom who loves collecting music boxes.
My Collection of Music Boxes from Renowned Brands
▲Sankyo – ORPHEUS 72-note music box playing “The Music of the Night” from The Phantom of the Opera
Sankyo - ORPHEUS Music Box
Among all the music boxes in my collection, my favorite is the ORPHEUS 72-note comb music box. I had longed for it for years and finally saved up enough over several years to special order it through Kyooh Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
What captivates me most—beyond its exquisite Italian-style carved exterior—is the mechanism that allows it to play three melodies from The Phantom of the Opera in continuous rotation. It’s a perfect blend of craftsmanship and musical richness that I deeply treasure.
▲Sankyo – ORPHEUS 72-note music box playing “The Music of the Night” from The Phantom of the Opera
Reuge’s Limited Edition Music Box
This music box was from the first-ever Reuge exhibition held in Taiwan by the Swiss music box maker.
I visited the event and was enchanted by so many exquisite pieces—it was hard to choose. But with a limited budget, I ultimately selected this special edition ballerina music box, which came with a unique limited-edition serial number.
Mr. Christmas Music Box
To be honest, as someone with a modest budget, I wouldn’t call it a “collection” of music boxes—rather, it’s more like a “gathering” of them. I often find myself admiring antique music boxes online, only to sigh at the price tags I can’t afford.
But what draws me to music boxes isn’t just their crisp, melodic sound. I’m also fascinated by the intricate mechanical linkages behind them. In my spare time, I enjoy browsing the internet to see if I can find any unique pieces. Since I’m not fluent in foreign languages, I usually stick to local auction platforms like Yahoo Taiwan and Ruten.
By chance, I came across a seller who posted listings for Mr. Christmas music boxes. Each time I saved up enough money, I would place a bid and gradually buy several models from him. Eventually, he told me he was moving abroad and shutting down his shop, so the purchases stopped there.
Even now, I still go online to explore all sorts of music boxes. Earlier this year, I used my year-end bonus to finally buy back the ballerina liquor bottle music box I first fell in love with—from Hobby House.
To me, every music box carries a vivid and cherished story.
These two music boxes are among my most treasured pieces. Unlike typical music boxes that play just one melody, these allow me to manually swap the cylinders and discs to change the tunes. Before Muro Box came onto the scene, this kind of design was quite special. If it were a Swiss REUGE model with the same design, I probably wouldn’t be able to afford it in a lifetime.
One of them—a music box with a linked bell-ringing mechanism—is especially dear to my heart. Twenty years ago, during a trip to Hong Kong, I saw a SANKYO music box in a shop that had a honeybee mechanism that rang the bell. After negotiating for a long time, the shopkeeper refused to lower the price. Due to my limited budget, I sadly had to walk away. Even now, I still carry that moment of regret and vividly remember what that music box looked like. So when I later found a similar style that I could afford—the Mr. Christmas music box—I felt incredibly lucky to finally buy it.
These music boxes have accompanied me for many years. Recently, after years of use, the belts became deformed and the springs failed. I almost spent one-third of their original purchase price to repair them, but I refuse to give them up. This kind of emotional connection is difficult to put into words.
▲ Mr. Christmas music box playing “Edelweiss” from The Sound of Music.
▲ Wooderful Life’s Paper Strip Music Box playing “Canon”
Jean Cultural & Creative Co., Ltd.
I previously purchased a fully hand-cranked paper strip music box in Otaru, Japan. This particular “Jean” music box was bought during my visit to the Modern Music Box Museum located in Taichung, Taiwan.
What I especially like about it is that it offers both manual and electric operation modes, which perfectly solves the problem of hand fatigue when playing longer tunes by hand.
Muro Box App-Controlled and Programmable Music Box
In my spare time, I often browse the internet for information about music boxes. I was thrilled to discover the Muro Box crowdfunding campaign on Zeczec by chance—my very first experience participating in a crowdfunding project. The founder’s creativity and vision really resonated with me as a collector who had reached a certain stage in my passion for music boxes.
My collecting focus has always been on the different operating mechanisms and melodies of music boxes, and I’ve been diligently saving up to buy the next one I love. Among all these music boxes, none could break the limitation on the number of tunes played. Even music boxes with interchangeable cylinders or discs, or electronic music boxes, still had their restrictions.
In the past, some music box melody CDs were available for purchase, but that lost the essence of the music box itself. What really touched me about Muro Box was its ability to continuously play different songs and allow custom compositions—all while maintaining the feel of a mechanical music box. Although the listening experience has a slightly different mechanical noise compared to traditional music boxes, this minor flaw does not diminish its groundbreaking value.
I highly recommend Muro Box to other music box enthusiasts. Beyond its innovative blend of tradition and technology, it feels like the pinnacle of collecting. Even though I may never afford a top-tier Swiss REUGE music box, owning a locally made Muro Box from Taiwan is a must-have on my music box collection list.
Remarks from Muro Box Team
Back in 2018, when Muro Box made its debut on the Taiwanese crowdfunding platform Zeczec, Chris was among the very first supporters of our N20—a 20-note app-controlled and programmable music box.
Through our monthly updates, she followed our challenging journey toward the first mass production. We’re deeply grateful for her patience and quiet support during those early days. In 2020, she finally joined our in-person pickup event and received her long-awaited N20 music box.
Fast forward to 2023, during the filming of our N40 crowdfunding video, Chris generously lent us many precious items from her personal music box collection. With her help, we were able to create a beautiful collector’s display cabinet that became the perfect backdrop for showcasing the N40 Sublime music box.
▲ This video features reviews and impressions from Zeczec backers who picked up their orders in person in 2020. One of the interviewees is Chris, marking a precious memory of her first meeting with us.
▲ Muro Box N40 Sublime playing “René Liu – Later.”
Fall in Love at the First Listen: Muro Box N40 Sublime — A Breeze of Springtime Sound
When the familiar melody flowed out from the N40 Sublime, I literally got goosebumps. It wasn’t just a simple replay—it was the moving experience of music being “performed live.” A thought even popped into my head: “Hey, I actually own a music box that can play countless songs!”
It’s a magical feeling—the music box is no longer limited to a few preset tunes. Instead, it becomes a stage that holds memories and reinterprets the soundtrack of life.
Custom Arrangements That Bring Youthful Memories to Life
I chose “Secret Garden – Nocturne” — a piece I loved dearly in my youth. Hearing it recreated by Muro Box, transforming into a live performance melody, is an indescribable emotion. It feels like my youthful memories are quietly placed inside this wooden box, treasured forever.
For a while, I really enjoyed listening to New Age music¹, finding it more relaxing than classical music. However, I’m open to all music genres—if it sounds good and pleasant, it’s good music to me.
Around the year 2000, a friend recommended Enya’s music to me. Upon first listen, I was blown away. At that time, my work was stressful and hectic, but listening to her music during my commute time helped calm and relax me. The music has many layers and blends classical and modern elements, which suits someone like me who isn’t very familiar with classical music.
Recently, I’ve been eager to hear the N40 Sublime play a melody from a novel — the waltz “Flame” from the story of a violinist written by mystery novelist Tess Gerritsen. I imagine if this melody could be played by Muro Box’s comb, it would have a unique and special charm.
¹New Age music: A music genre that emerged in the 1970s, originally used to aid meditation and cleanse the mind. It represents an era’s spiritual transformation and is thus named “New Age” music.
▲ Muro Box N40 Sublime playing “Secret Garden – Nocturne.”
▲ Here is the video of Muro Box-N40. At the very beginning, the collector’s display features many of Chris’s collections. We invite you to watch and feel this shared journey of creating music box memories together with our supporters.
Reflecting on the Years of Memories with Muro Box Music Box
As an early supporter, watching Muro Box grow from its first reveal in 2018 to its current success has been an indescribable journey. I have always felt that I didn’t just “buy a music box,” but truly took part in the birth and growth of the brand.
Through every design update, every thoughtfully written blog post, and every survey discussion, I could see the dedication and passion the founding team put in behind the scenes. Especially since this is a product independently developed and manufactured in Taiwan, the pride and emotion it evokes are irreplaceable.
To me, the biggest difference between being a “supporter” and an “ordinary customer” is the emotional involvement—we witness a dream coming to life step by step. It’s a deep connection and a process of growing together with Muro Box.
“When the familiar melody flowed out from the N40 Sublime, I literally got goosebumps. It wasn’t just a simple replay, but the moving experience of music being ‘performed live.’ A thought even popped into my head: ‘Hey, I actually own a music box that can play countless songs!’”
Chris
“When the familiar melody flowed out from the N40 Sublime, I literally got goosebumps. It wasn’t just a simple replay, but the moving experience of music being ‘performed live.’ A thought even popped into my head: ‘Hey, I actually own a music box that can play countless songs!’”
