RevolutionCrossroads/si_us_revolutionary_era_collections huggingface dataset:
Dodd Violin Bow
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: bow
date made: 1785-1795
place made: United Kingdom: England, London
Physical Description: pernambuco (overall material)
ivory (overall material)
horsehair (overall material)
Measurements: overall: 1 1/8 in x 7/16 in x 27 3/4 in; 2.8575 cm x 1.11125 cm x 70.485 cm
Topics: Musical instruments
Music
Description: <p>This bow was made by John Kew Dodd in London, England, around 1785-1795. It is violin bow, made of a round Pernambuco stick, with an ivory frog and button. The frog is stamped:</p>
<p>DODD</p>
Violin Bow
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: bow
date made: ca 1800
place made: France
Physical Description: pernambuco (overall material)
ivory (overall material)
horsehair (overall material)
Measurements: overall: 5/8 in x 29 1/16 in x 1 1/8 in; 1.5875 cm x 73.81875 cm x 2.8575 cm
Credit line: Gift of Ross McCollum
Topics: Musical instruments
Music
Description: <p>This bow was made by an unknown maker, probably France, about 1800. It is a violin bow, with a dark-brown Pernambuco stick with ivory face, and a modified ivory frog accompanied by an ornamental button.</p>
<p>The ivory frog of this bow was originally open-faced, without a slide. A modern conversion added a full mother-of-pearl slide and a nickel silver ferrule.</p>
Violin Bow
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: bow
date made: 1775-1799
place made: France
Physical Description: brazilwood (overall material)
bone (overall material)
horsehair (overall material)
Measurements: overall: 28 1/2 in x 1 1/4 in x 1/2 in; 72.39 cm x 3.175 cm x 1.27 cm
Credit line: Gift of Janos Scholz
Topics: Musical instruments
Music
Description: <p>This bow was made by an unknown maker probably in France, around 1775-1799. It is violin bow, made of a round brazilwood stick with a bone face, bone frog and button.</p>
<p> This bow is possibly the work of Mirecourt craftsmanship. Donor Janos Scholz writes of this bow: “The frog attachment to the stick is of an earlier variety, with a leading ridge holding the frog in line, a rare device used in Italy, Holland and Germany. Some early English makers used it too.”</p>
Viola Bow
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: bow
date made: 1775-1799
place made: France
Measurements: overall: 1 1/8 in x 1/2 in x 28 7/8 in; 2.8575 cm x 1.27 cm x 73.3425 cm
Credit line: Gift of Janos Scholz
Topics: Musical instruments
Music
Description: <p>This bow was made by an undetermined maker in France, around 1775-1799.</p>
<p>It is a viola bow with a dark Pernambuco stick with an ivory face, an openface ivory frog and bone button. This is an interesting “round” stick with clear oval graduation in the center, becoming round toward the head. The overall length is 71.75 cm, playing hair length is 64.1 cm, and the weight is 53.8 grams.</p>
French Viola d'amore Bow
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: bow
date made: 18th century
place made: France
Physical Description: beefwood (overall material)
ivory (overall material)
bone (overall material)
horsehair (overall material)
Measurements: overall: 1 1/8 in x 1/2 in x 28 5/8 in; 2.8575 cm x 1.27 cm x 72.7075 cm
Topics: Musical instruments
Music
Description: <p>This bow was made by an unknown maker in France, in the 18th century. It is a viola d-amore bow, made of a round beefwood stick, with a transitional head, fluted hand-grip are beginning 7.7 cm from the button and extending to 15.9 cm on the stick, open-faced ivory frog, and a 19th century bone button.</p>
<p>While it is difficult to be certain how a bow was used in the past, the elongated thinly graduated stick with low frog placement lends this bow well for the gymnastic movement required by the literature and bridge geometry of the viola d’amore.</p>
Pochette
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: pochette
Date made: late 18th century
Physical Description: spruce (overall material)
gourd (overall material)
Measurements: overall: 3 3/8 in x 17 3/8 in x 3 9/16 in; 8.5725 cm x 44.1325 cm x 9.04875 cm
Publisher: Densmore, Frances. Handbook of the Collection of Musical Instruments in the United States National Museum.
Topics: Musical instruments
Music
Description: <p>This pochette was made by an unknown maker, provenance unknown, late 18th century. It is a composite instrument with a one-piece table of one-piece spruce, body of gourd, maple neck and repaired pegbox, and yellow-brown varnish </p>
<p>This object is composed of unrelated fragments and does not appear to have ever functioned as a musical instrument in this form. The flat table with stylized S-holes is fitted to a body made from a gourd. The neck is terminated in a repaired pegbox with missing head. Acquired from the collection of Leopoldo Franciolini in 1892.</p>
<p>Leopoldo Franciolini (1844–1920) was an Italian antique dealer who flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is remembered as a fraudster who sold faked and altered historical musical instruments.</p>
Rebec
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: rebec
date made: 18th century
Physical Description: poplar (overall material)
gut (strings material)
Measurements: overall: 21 1/8 in x 5 3/4 in x 3 5/8 in; 53.6575 cm x 14.605 cm x 9.2075 cm
Publisher: Densmore, Frances. Handbook of the Collection of Musical Instruments in the United States National Museum.
Topics: Musical instruments
Music
Description: <p>This rebec was made by an unknown maker, provenance unknown, probably 18th century. It is a composite instrument with a one-piece table of poplar, body, neck, pegbox and flat plate all carved from one piece of similar poplar, fingerboard of similar poplar, and opaque reddish-brown varnish heavily encrusted with dirt </p>
<p>This teardrop-shaped three-string instrument is probably 18th century or earlier and appears to survive <i>en suite</i>. The tailpiece and soundpost possibly belong with the rebec as does one of three pegs. The flat table, without interior bass-bar bears a soundpost and simplified f-holes. This instrument is accompanied by a bow. Acquired from the collection of Leopoldo Franciolini in 1892.</p>
<p>Leopoldo Franciolini (1844–1920) was an Italian antique dealer who flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is remembered as a fraudster who sold faked and altered historical musical instruments.</p>
Crehore New England Bass Viol
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: viol
Date made: ca 1790
maker: Crehore, Benjamin
place made: United States: Massachusetts, Milton
Physical Description: pine (overall material)
maple (overall material)
Measurements: overall: 48 in x 17 in x 11 in; 121.92 cm x 43.18 cm x 27.94 cm
overall: case: 50 in x 19 in x 13 1/2 in; 127 cm x 48.26 cm x 34.29 cm
Topics: Musical instruments
Music
Description (Brief): <p>This New England Bass Viol was made by Benjamin Crehore in Milton, Massachusetts, about 1790. It has a two-piece table of pine, one-piece back of slab-cut American maple with irregular faint, fine horizontal figure, ribs of similar maple, plain maple neck, pegbox and scroll, original square soundpost with small pins at either end to prevent movement, orange-brown varnish, solid ebony tailpiece and ebony veneered maple fingerboard, and painted purfling. This instrument has an original printed label:</p>
<p>Bafeviols<br>MADE AND SOLD BY<br>Benjamin C rehore,<br>IN MILTON.</p>
<p>[*Note: the space in the word “Crehore” shows signs of printer’s error, with an erased second letter.]</p>
<p>Though self-taught, Benjamin Crehore (1765-1831) worked more closely to the classical stringed instrument making tradition than other New England makers. Known to have built instruments of New England Bass Viol proportions as early as 1788, Crehore is thought to have turned to the smaller classical cello model after the opening of the Theatre in Boston in the 1790’s. Crehore also built several pianos and is best remembered today as the founder of the Boston school of piano making, which later included Alpheus Babcock and Jonas Chickering.</p>
<p>The instrument retains the neck, fingerboard, tailpiece, bass-bar, soundpost, bridge and pegs intact. A rare original “coffin” case (Cat. 1981.0030.02) of wood with one bow holder and accessory box accompanies the instrument. (When closed, this case resembles a small coffin.)</p>
<p>The other four known bass viols built by Benjamin Crehore, the earliest dated 1788, are in the Musical Instruments Department, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.</p>
<p>The modern term for this instrument is church bass. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, this instrument was also known as the American bass viol, New England bass viol, or Yankee bass viol. These church basses were used in churches and meeting houses to provide a bass line for maintaining a consistent key by New England congregational singers. The church bass was also used by popular singing groups such as the Hutchinson Family singers.</p>
Viola d'amore (composite)
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: viola d'amore
date made: 18th century
Physical Description: ebony (overall material)
gut (strings material)
copper (strings material)
spruce (overall material)
maple (overall material)
Measurements: overall: 26 1/2 in x 9 1/8 in x 4 in; 67.31 cm x 23.1775 cm x 10.16 cm
Publisher: Densmore, Frances. Handbook of the Collection of Musical Instruments in the United States National Museum.
Topics: Musical instruments
Music
Description: <p>This viola d’amore was made by an unknown maker, provenance unknown, probably 18th century. It is a composite instrument made of a two-piece table of spruce, two-piece back of maple with irregular, gently descending figure, ribs of similar maple, plain maple neck, pegbox and scroll, and yellow to yellow-orange varnishes. There is a printed and handwritten repair label inside the instrument:</p>
<p>Repaired by NR<br>Nicola Reale da Viggiano<br>Washington, D.C., 1939</p>
<p>This object was probably assembled by Leopoldo Franciolini to represent a viola d’amore with:<br>a) French neck, pegbox and scroll, ca. 1740<br>b) French table with “flame” soundholes, cut at bottom block area for a sympathetic string-holding system with iron tuning pins<br>c) German back, with slopes at upper and lower bouts and ribs, altered to fit a sympathetic string tuning pin system. The resulting instrument is inauthentically configured with six bowed and seven sympathetic strings. Acquired from the collection of Leopoldo Franciolini in 1892.</p>
<p>Leopoldo Franciolini (1844–1920) was an Italian antique dealer who flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is remembered as a fraudster who sold faked and altered historical musical instruments.</p>
Folk Fiddle
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: fiddle
Date made: 1800 - 1899
Place Made: United States
Physical Description: spruce (table material)
maple (back material)
Measurements: overall: 23 1/2 in x 6 3/4 in x 3 in; 59.69 cm x 17.145 cm x 7.62 cm
Credit line: Gift of Merlin Smith
Topics: Musical instruments
Music
Violins
Description: This violin was made in the United States in the 19th century. It is an instrument of amateur construction with a neck, pegbox and scroll of commercial German origin of the same period. The name “Miles Standish” is scratched into the varnish of the back beneath the button. There is a handwritten label inside the violin that reads “Repaired by I.B. Wilson, Music Dealer and Repairer, Moundsville, W. VA., Sept. 30th, 07 190.” This violin is made of a two-piece table of spruce, one-piece back of American burl maple cut on the slab, ribs of American maple with even medium-fine figure, neck, pegbox and scroll of faintly figured maple, and a semi-opaque brown varnish.
Nyckelharpa
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: nyckelharpa
date made: ca 1790
place made: Sweden
Physical Description: fir (overall material)
birch (overall material)
gut (strings material)
copper (strings material)
steel (strings material)
Measurements: overall: 6 3/8 in x 34 in x 9 7/8 in; 16.1925 cm x 86.36 cm x 25.0825 cm
Publisher: Densmore, Frances. Handbook of the Collection of Musical Instruments in the United States National Museum.
Topics: Musical instruments
Music
Description: <p>This nyckelharpa was made by an unknown maker, probably Northern Uppland, Sweden, about 1790. It is a silverbasharpa model, body and neck/pegbox are made from one piece of plain fir, attached arched table of similar fir in one piece, pegs, keys, keybox, bridge and tailpiece of unfigured birch, and transparent yellow varnish. There is a handwritten label:</p>
<p>Anno 1790</p>
<p>A Scandinavian bowed “fiddle” with wooden keys and tangents fitted into a keybox similar to that of the hurdy-gurdy. The instrument, with a central flat bridge, commonly has melody, bourdon (drone) and sympathetic strings that pass along the side of, or through holes in the bridge. However, some early nyckelharpan were built without sympathetic strings. The instrument can be held from a neck strap or in the lap with the keys facing down for gravity return, is bowed toward the player’s body, and played sitting, standing or walking about. Tension on the bow hair is regulated by the player’s thumb or fingers in many individual variations of gripping the bow</p>
<p>An early extant nyckelharpa is dated 1526, and such instruments are depicted in Danish and Swedish church iconography of the 14th and 15th centuries. While there is also evidence that it existed in Germany in the 16th century, the history of the nyckelharpa has unbroken documentation in Sweden from the 17th century to the present day.</p>
<p>Characteristic of its type, this silverbasharpa (silver-drone keyed fiddle) is constructed with two rows of keys, two melody and two bass strings that are bowed, and nine sympathetic strings. Such a silverbasharpa model was preferred by players until the introduction
of the kromatisk nyckelharpa in 1925. It is believed that an organ builder, Per Olof Gullbergson, first converted a kontrabasharpa into a silverbasharpa around 1838. An organist, Matts Wesslén, is then credited for making this instrument chromatic by adding a second row of keys. This information suggests this silverbasharpa bears a false date, or that it was rebuilt to its present form after 1838. The body and neck of this example are fashioned from a single piece of fir and the attached table is carved from similar fir in one piece. The square sound post passes through a hole in the back and is held in place by an interior wedge.</p>
Nyckelharpa Bow
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: bow
date made: ca 1800
place made: Sweden
Physical Description: birch (overall material)
horsehair (overall material)
Measurements: overall: 7/8 in x 25 in x 3 1/4 in; 2.2225 cm x 63.5 cm x 8.255 cm
Topics: Musical instruments
Music
Description (Brief): This bow as made by an unknown maker in Sweden, about 1800. It is a Scandinavian “fiddle” bow fashioned from one piece of plain birch. The round graduated stick is thinned, becoming flat at the tip end, the last 6 cm of the stick being bent 90o to create a convex stick. A hole in the tip accommodates a fixed knot of horsehair. The hair passes through a similar hole in the “handle” and is knotted to a cloth ribbon controlling bowhair tension. The birch stick is covered with thick transparent varnish. Accessioned with nyckelharpa (Cat. #216270).
American Five-String Fretless Banjo
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: banjo
date made: 1800-1899
place made: United States: Tennessee, Bristol
Physical Description: wood (overall material)
metal (overall material)
animal skin (overall material)
Measurements: overall: 28 1/2 in x 6 1/2 in x 2 in; 72.39 cm x 16.51 cm x 5.08 cm
Credit line: Gift of Peck Daniel
Topics: Musical instruments
Banjos
Music
Description: This banjo was made by an unknown maker in Bristol, Tennessee during the 19th century. It is a Five-String Fretless Banjo. The banjo has a commercial neck cut down and joined to a 4 bracket hoop of welded wrought iron, perhaps salvaged from an iron wagon wheel rim. Although now unplayable, the combination of a small diameter head and heavy rim would have produced a loud and clear tone.
Milhouse 2-keyed Oboe
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: oboe
date made: 1803-1808
maker: Milhouse, William
place made: United Kingdom: England, London
Physical Description: boxwood (overall material)
silver (overall material)
Measurements: overall: 22 1/2 in x 2 3/8 in; 57.15 cm x 6.0325 cm
Topics: Musical instruments
Music
Description: <p>This oboe was made by William Milhouse in London, England, around 1803-1808. It is a 2-keyed oboe made of boxwood with silver keys. The oboe is stamped:</p>
<p>W. MILHOUSE<br>LONDON<br>337 OXFORD ST.</p>
Longman & Broderip Keyed English Guitar
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: english guitar
date made: 1783-1785
maker: Longman & Broderip
place made: United Kingdom: England, London
Measurements: overall: 29 1/4 in x 12 1/4 in x 4 3/8 in; 74.295 cm x 31.115 cm x 11.1125 cm
Credit line: Gift of Catherine N. M. Rose
Publisher: Densmore, Frances. Handbook of the Collection of Musical Instruments in the United States National Museum.
Topics: Musical instruments
Guitar
Music
Description: This keyed English guitar was made by Longman & Broderip of London, England around 1783-1785. Francis Broderip joined James Longman around 1775 and the two were in business until 1798. This guitar is a six course (2x3, 2x2, 2x1) guitar with a spruce top and maple back and sides. The guitar has a watch-key tuning mechanism, and a key mechanism that activates hammers inside the soundbox to strike the strings upwards through holes in the soundhole rose. This key mechanism was patented by London luthier, Christian Claus in 1783.
Theorbo Guitar
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: English guitar
english guitar
guitar
Date made: 1790-1800
maker: Laurent
place made: France: Île-de-France, Paris
Measurements: overall: 44 1/4 in x 12 in x 4 1/2 in; 112.395 cm x 30.48 cm x 11.43 cm
Credit line: Made available through the Cooper Union Museum
Topics: Musical instruments
Guitar
Music
Description: This guitar was made by Laurent in Paris, France around 1790-1800. It is a twelve course (4x2, 3x1?, 5x1) theorbo guitar with a pine top and maple back and sides. This guitar bears the printed label: “AU CISTERE ALLEMAND [/] LAURENT, [/] Maitre & Marchand Luthier, [/] Passage du Saumon, Quartier Monmartre [/]et Montorgueil.” The provenance and date of this guitar are subject to study.
Chitarra Battente Guitar
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: guitar
Date made: 1775 - 1799
place made: Italy
Physical Description: wood (overall material)
mother of pearl (inlay material)
shell, tortoise (inlay material)
ivory (inlay material)
steel (strings material)
Measurements: overall: 36 1/4 in x 11 5/8 in x 7 5/8 in; 92.075 cm x 29.5275 cm x 19.3675 cm
Publisher: Densmore, Frances. Handbook of the Collection of Musical Instruments in the United States National Museum.
Topics: Musical instruments
Guitar
Music
Description: This chitarra battente was made by an unknown maker in southern Italy around 1775-1799. It is a five course (5x2) guitar with a spruce top, arched walnut back and sides.
Vinaccia Guitar
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: guitar
date made: 1779
maker: Vinaccia, Gaetano
place made: Italy: Campania, Naples
Physical Description: wood (body material)
mother of pearl (inlay material)
shell, tortoise (finger board material)
gut (strings material)
Measurements: overall: 36 1/4 in x 12 5/8 in x 4 in; 92.075 cm x 32.0675 cm x 10.16 cm
Publisher: Densmore, Frances. Handbook of the Collection of Musical Instruments in the United States National Museum.
Topics: Musical instruments
Guitar
Music
Description: This guitar was made by Gaetano Vinaccia of Naples, Italy in 1779. The Vinaccia family were violin and mandolin makers in Naples from the mid-18th century to the late 19th. Later generations, including Gaetano Vinaccia, made mostly mandolins and guitars. This is a six course (6x1) pear-shaped guitar with a cypress back and sides. The label inside the guitar reads: “Gajetanus Vinaccia [/] Fecit Neapoli Strada Rua Catalana [/] Num. 85 Anno 1779.”
Fabricatore Guitar
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: guitar
date made: 1797
maker: Fabricatore, Giovanni Battista
place made: Italy: Campania, Naples
Physical Description: wood (overall material)
tortoiseshell (overall material)
mother-of-pearl (overall material)
metal (overall material)
Measurements: overall: 35 in x 10 7/8 in x 3 1/8 in; 88.9 cm x 27.6225 cm x 7.9375 cm
Credit line: Made available through the Cooper Union Museum
Topics: Musical instruments
Guitar
Music
Description: <p>This guitar was made by Giovanni Battista Fabricatore of Naples, Italy in 1797. It is a six course (6x1) guitar with a spruce and cedar top, non-original ebonized back and sides, and tortoiseshell and mother-of-pearl veneer on neck and back. This guitar bears the printed label:</p>
<p>Gio: Battifta Fabricatore<br>Napoli Anno 1797 in<br>S.M. dell' Ajuto. N. 32</p>
<p>(“97” ishandwritten).</p>
Fabricatore Guitar
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: guitar
date made: 1804
maker: Fabricatore, Gennaro
place made: Italy: Campania, Naples
Physical Description: spruce (overall material)
walnut (overall material)
ivory (overall material)
rosewood (overall material)
maple (overall material)
Measurements: overall: 34 1/2 in x 11 1/2 in x 3 1/2 in; 87.63 cm x 29.21 cm x 8.89 cm
Credit line: Made available through the Cooper Union Museum
Topics: Musical instruments
Guitar
Music
Description: <p>This guitar was made by Gennero Fabricatore of Naples, Italy in 1804. It is a six course (6x1) guitar with a spruce top, walnut and bone/ivory veneered maple back, rosewood sides, and a rosewood and ivory veneered neck. This guitar bears the printed label:</p>
<p>Gennaro Fabricatore<br>Anno 1804 Napoli<br>Strada S. Giacomo n. 26</p>
<p>(“04” handwritten)</p>.
Vinaccia Guitar
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: guitar
date made: 1790
maker: Vinaccia, Antonio
place made: Italy: Campania, Naples
Physical Description: spruce (overall material)
friutwood (overall material)
Measurements: overall: 35 1/2 in x 11 1/2 in x 3 1/4 in; 90.17 cm x 29.21 cm x 8.255 cm
Credit line: Made available through the Cooper Union Museum
Topics: Musical instruments
Guitar
Music
Description: <p>This guitar was made by Antonio Vinaccia of Naples, Italy in 1790. The Vinaccia family were violin and mandolin makers in Naples from the mid-18th century to the late 19th. It is a six course (6x1) guitar with a spruce top and a fruitwood veneered spruce back and sides. This guitar bears the printed label:<p>
<p>Antonius Vinaccia Fecit<br>Neapoli Anno 1790</p>
<p>[with “90” handwritten]</p>
Lupot Guitar
Collection: National Museum of American History
Object type: guitar
date made: 1773
maker: Lupot, Francois
place made: France: Centre-Val de Loire, Orleans
Physical Description: spruce (overall material)
ash (overall material)
Measurements: guitar: 36 in x 10 3/4 in x 3 5/8 in; 91.44 cm x 27.305 cm x 9.2075 cm
edging tray: 1 3/4 in x 22 in x 15 in; 4.445 cm x 55.88 cm x 38.0746 cm
Credit line: Made available through the Cooper Union Museum
Topics: Musical instruments
Guitar
Music
Description: <p>This guitar was made by Francisco Lupot of Orleans, France in 1773. It is a six course (6x1) guitar with a spruce top, veneered burly ash back, and burly ash sides. The neck is not original and was probably added in the early 1800s. This guitar bears the printed label:</p>
<p>Francisco Lupot fecit<br>In Orleano, anno 1773</p>
<p>(with “73” handwritten)</p>