Deagan Marimba: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This marimba was made by J. C. Deagan, Inc. in Chicago, Illinois, around 1919-1925. It is marimba model #352 with Nagaed wood bars, with a compass of F-c4, and brass pipes. The stand is made of oak with nickel-plated metal legs. The lowest wood bar is stamped:

There is a label on the oak frame with a listing of 35 patents attributed to Deagan, dating from 1899 to 1919.

John Calhoun Deagan (1853-1934), a first generation American of Irish descent, was a musician, inventor, and musical instrument manufacturer. He began making musical instruments in 1898 in St. Louis, Missouri. By 1913, his firm was incorporated in Chicago as J.C. Deagan Bells, Inc., and three years later would become J.C. Deagan, Inc.

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: 1919-1925
• manufacturer: J. C. Deagan, Inc.
• Object Name: marimba
• Physical Description: wood (overall material)
• Physical Description: metal (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: bottom keyboard: 21 in x 17 1/8 in x 56 1/2 in; 53.34 cm x 43.4975 cm x 143.51 cm
• Measurements: overall: top keyboard: 20 1/2 in x 16 3/4 in x 56 in; 52.07 cm x 42.545 cm x 142.24 cm
• place made: United States: Illinois, Chicago
• ID Number: MI.77.21
• accession number: 1978.0471
• catalog number: 77.21
• Credit Line: Gift of Virginia Reeder Christensen
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.