A music box is a charming piece of clockwork machinery that graced the dressing tables of many ladies in the late 18th and early 19th century. The size of a music box could range from a tiny thing no bigger than the palm of your hand to a table-sized contraption that was the centre piece of a drawing room or library.

The most common kind of music box was the ballerina music box. The outside of the box was usually decorated in colors and designs that would appeal to feminine tastes, since this was a common gift for women. On opening the lid, the ballerina would begin to spin slowly on her toes in time with the music of a favorite song.