A
music box or
musical box is an automatic
musical instrument that produces sounds by the use of a set of
pins placed on a revolving
cylinder or disc so as to pluck the tuned teeth (or
lamellae) of a steel
comb. They were developed from musical snuff boxes of the 18th century and called
carillons à musique. Some of the more complex boxes also have a tiny
drum and/or small
bells, in addition to the metal comb.