Flute made for Blind Tom by William R. Meinell

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Object Details

Description: This silver flute was made for the performer "Blind Tom" by William R. Meinell of New York and includes a body (a) modeled on the Boehm system with closed key holes, an offset G key, a closed G sharp key, and a Briccialdi B flat key; a foot joint (b) with a low B key; a silver head joint (c) with an embouchure plate with stylized floral detailing around each end and at the crown with a tuning cork; a silver head joint socket (d) used to cap the tenon of the sliver head joint when not in use; an ebony head joint (e) with a flush embouchure hole and a tuning cork, a metal ring separates the body from the crown and a metal tenon is attached to the ebony head joint for joining with the flute body; a silver head joint socket (f) used to cap the tenon of the ebony head joint when not in use.

Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

1879-1884

Restrictions & Rights: No Known Copyright Restrictions; Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

Medium: silver, ebony, gold, and cork
Dimensions: H x W x D (a,b,c joined): 27 1/16 × 1 5/8 × 1 5/8 in. (68.7 × 4.1 × 4.1 cm); H x W x D (a,b,e joined): 27 5/8 × 1 5/8 × 1 5/8 in. (70.2 × 4.1 × 4.1 cm); H x W x D (a overall): 1 5/8 × 13 3/16 × 1 1/2 in. (4.1 × 33.5 × 3.8 cm); H x W x D (b overall): 1 5/16 × 6 5/8 × 1 5/8 in. (3.3 × 16.8 × 4.1 cm); H x W x D (c overall): 10 × 1 × 1 in. (25.4 × 2.5 × 2.5 cm); H x W x D (d overall): 1 9/16 × 13/16 × 13/16 in. (4 × 2.1 × 2.1 cm); H x W x D (e overall): 10 × 7/8 × 7/8 in. (25.4 × 2.2 × 2.2 cm); H x W x D (f overall): 9/16 × 13/16 × 13/16 in. (1.4 × 2.1 × 2.1 cm)

Place made: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

See more items in: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification: Slavery and Freedom Objects; Musical Instruments
Exhibition: Musical Crossroads
On View: NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 053

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Topic: African American; Child musicians; Instrumentalists (Musicians); Music; Slavery

GUID (Link to Original Record): http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5cc1e79ec-5fae-4d36-8817-e654f7bcc6bd