Splendid Music Box Co. shows opera-inspired musical jewelry boxes at NY NOW

La Scala music boxes from Splendid Music Box Co. on display at NY NOW

New York-based Splendid Music Box Company, the oldest and largest wholesaler of exclusively designed musical jewelry boxes in North America, showed a particularly splendid line at last month’s NY NOW trade show at the Javits Center: wooden musical jewelry boxes emblazoned with original vintage poster art from Milan’s historic La Scala opera house.

The miniaturized posters, inlaid into the wood, depict the productions of 14 classic operas--including Tosca, La Boheme, Carmen, Madame Butterfly and Aida—each playing a famous tune from the opera. Handmade in Italy according to age-old woodworking craft procedures, the boxes were designed by Hedy Kagan.

Kagan is the daughter of Splendid Novelty Company founders Mark and Rose Borus, who immigrated to the U.S. from Europe in 1941. Their vision of importing high quality giftware of excellent value was modified somewhat in 1985, when Kagan’s designs had become best suited for musical jewelry boxes, and the company name was changed to Splendid Music Box Company.

The company’s owner Kerry Rosen is Kagan’s daughter. Representing the family’s fourth generation, Jamie Erin Rosen works in design, sales and public relations for Splendid Music Box Company.

The company, incidentally, also offers ballet-related music boxes including a Swan Lake entry that plays Tchaikovsky’s “The Swan Lake Op. 20.”