Frottoir: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This rubboard or vest frottoir was made by Tee Don Landry in Duson, Louisiana, in 2001. It is made of corrugated stainless steel, serial #123. The vest frottoir is worn over the chest and is held in place with two curved arms placed over the shoulders. This instrument is played as a rhythm instrument by rubbing either bottle openers or spoons on the corrugation. There is a maker’s inscription on the back of the frottoir.

According to the donor, the earliest frottoirs were wash boards tied around the neck. This frottoir was made in the same style and process as the donor's father, Willie Landry. Landry, a welder at a refinery is said to have made the first molded rubboard, metal chest plate that fits/hangs above and around the shoulder. His first rubboard was said to have been made for the zydeco musicians, Clifton and Cleveland Chenier in the early 1947.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date made: 2001
• referenced: Chenier, Clifton
• referenced: Chenier, Cleveland
• maker: Landry, Tee Don
• Object Name: rubboard
• Physical Description: metal (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: 10 7/8 in x 13 3/8 in x 23 1/2 in; 27.6225 cm x 33.9725 cm x 59.69 cm
• place made: United States: Louisiana, Duson
• general subject association: Zydeco
• ID Number: 2001.0181.01
• serial number: 123
• accession number: 2001.0181
• catalog number: 2001.0181.01
• Credit Line: Gift of Don Landry in memory of Willie Landry
• 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.