Jew's Harp: Museum Object and Cultural History
Jew's Harp: date made: 1991. maker: Whitlow, Fred. Object Name: jew's harp.
The object in the museum catalogue
This Jew’s harp was made by Fred Whitlow in Palmetto, Florida, in 1991. This Jew’s harp, tuned to the key of G, is made of a stainless steel frame with an annealed steel vibrator. It is stamped:
Fred Whitlow is an American musical Instrument maker and musician. Whitlow received best prize for his Jew’s harp at the first International Jew’s Harp Congress in Iowa City, in 1984. He is a member of the Poindexter Band of Bradenton, Florida. The five-piece group, including a drummer, features a unique mix of mountain and folk music mixed in with a little country & western dubbed “New Grass.”
Materials, dates and provenance
- date made: 1991
- maker: Whitlow, Fred
- Object Name: jew's harp
- Physical Description: stainless steel (overall material)
- Measurements: overall: 3/4 in x 2 in x 3 11/16 in; 1.905 cm x 5.08 cm x 9.36625 cm
- place made: United States: Florida, Palmetto
- ID Number: 1991.0281.01
- catalog number: 1991.0281.01
- accession number: 1991.0281
- Credit Line: Gift of Fred Whitlow
- 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.
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