Vintage Swiss Reuge Grand Piano Marbled Bakelite Music Box Harry Snider & Co

Harry Snider was born in Winnipeg in 1910. After a short career as a commercial artist, he went to work for his sister and brother-in-law's clock company in the 1930s. Sarah was married to Leopold Stossel, the man who started the Blackforest Clock Company in Toronto in 1928 to sell imported German clocks in Canada. There Harry learned about both the general construction and the sale of clocks. He was listed in the 1940 and 1942 business directories for Toronto as a salesman for the Forestville Clock Company, the new company name that was created because of World War II.

This company was listed in the Toronto directories from 1943 to 1952. The offices were located on the third and then fourth floor at 229 Yonge Street in Toronto. By 1950 he was seriously considering setting up his own clock company.

One that now turns up occasionally is shaped like a miniature grand piano. It is made with a small, spring-driven Swiss music box, colourful marbleized plastic lid, and gold-painted metal frame, and includes wood, felt and paper components. Overall dimensions are 20 cm long X 13 cm wide X 10 cm high. The company name is rubber-stamped on the bottom as Manufactured by HARRY SNIDER & CO, TORONTO.

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