The power source, made of tempered steel, for clockwork mechanisms.

1. Mandolin attachment. A mechanical device or curtain apparatus in a piano which, when turned on, produces a "tinny" or "rinky-tink" sound similar to that made by metal or wooden hammers hitting the strings. Sometimes made in the form of a cloth curtain with separate metal- or wood-studded hanging tabs; sometimes in the form of small wooden paddles or plungers positioned between the hammer shanks and strings. A common attachment in coin pianos and orchestrions. Nelson-Wiggen called its curtain-type device the banjo attachment. Hupfeld called it the Harfe-Illusion (See harp effect.) 2. Mandolin Effect, Mandoline. A special piano action in the treble section of a street piano (also listed in this Glossary), with hard wood hammers (or hammers covered with buckskin or very hard felt) actuated by a rotating splined shaft, which strike the strings in a reiterating manner, producing a loud realistic mandolin-like ringing sound. Also used in the Wurlitzer Mandolin Quartette. In the Hupfeld Helios, where it was called the Mandolinen-Illusion, the mandolin mechanism is mounted above the regular piano hammers, providing either piano or mandolin sound.

A cylinder musical box with four or more teeth tuned to each note in the melody and embellishment sections (not in the bass section) or to the tones used in the tunes played so that by plucking each tooth in rapid succession the note is sustained and mimics the sound of a mandolin. The cylinder is readily identified by the obvious angled lines of pins that create the "trill" effect. Some later-period boxes were made with as few as three notes per tune, referred to as pseudo-mandoline.

Usually refers to small musical boxes that do not have spring motors but are operated by turning a small crank, hence the name. Generally applies to novelty musical boxes but also to small, disc-playing musical boxes.