October 13, 2008 Antique music boxes brought back to life in Maine Play video

(Amy Sinclair, NECN: Wicasset, Maine) - Long before there were "I-pods" or even "Sony Walkmen" there were music boxes. And today, you can still see some of the finest examples of the art form just off route one in Wiscasset, Maine.

Leaf peeping and lobster rolls bring thousands of visitors through Wiscasset this time of year, but only a few will embark on the musical adventure that awaits them inside this historic sea captain's mansion.

Joe: "this is the great room...as you can see it has a couple of thousand things..

The musical wonder house really does live up to its name

Joe: "suddenly you hear music coming from all the rooms and people are like what is this they have no idea when they step in the door..."

There are nearly 5000 antique music boxes all displayed in a Victorian backdrop.

Joe: "they came from all over the world. Mr. Konvalinka the founder went all over in search of boxes in 1963 when they came to Wiscasset."

The collection has grown steadily over the last 45 years...many of the treasures were rescued from flea markets and yard sales...then restored and brought back to life here.

"The emerald polyphone…with 16 bells the largest number of bells ever put into music box."

What makes this museum so satisfying is that nearly every piece works and the trustees are happy to crank them up.

JOE: "they were all custom made you couldn't go to the store and buy them whatever

While cylinder music boxes were only found in homes of very wealthy, the disks made music boxes more affordable and they were a hit with the public until the 1930s.

"When Edison came out with phonograph there was some competition and the human voice won out."

And the rest is history...but thanks to the musical wonder house, this marvelous era of music making will play on for generations.