Mbira and acoustic transducer owned by Pete Cosey: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A handheld llamellaphone instrument (.4a), known as a kalimba, mbira, or thumb piano, with DeArmond-brand acoustic transducer (.4b) owned and used by Pete Cosey. Instrument is a hollow wooden trapezoidal prism, with shape slightly flaring out from the end where the tines are attached to the end with resonator holes. There is one large hole on the front and two smaller holes on the back. Six of the fifteen tines have red paint on them - there is significant paint loss on each tine. Five screwheads on the back are visible and align with the tines on the front.

DeArmond-brand acoustic transducer is chromed with brass volume knob. Knob has a black plastic cover. Etched into chrome is [DeArmond / REG. U.S. PAT. OFF. / ROWE INDUSTRIES / TOLDEO, OHIO U.S.A.] Beneath the transducer, its bottom surfaces and edges are covered with a removable rubber padding, with a round hole containing a matching round section of cork glued directly to the transducer’s metal body. The plug end is a 1/4" TS plug that would feed into an amplifier.

Metal transducer clips (.4c, .4d, .4e) fit over the peg on the transducer’s top and have hooked ends would have attached a rubber band or cord to hold the transducer in place on the instrument’s body.

Rubber transducer foot (.4f) is formed to fit over metal body of transducer where it would contact the instrument.

A flat rubber circle (.4g) is similar material to the rubber transducer foot.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1954-2012
• Created by: Unidentified
• Used by: Pete Cosey, American, 1943 - 2012
• Manufactured by: Rowe Industries, American, 1940 - 1970
• Type: kalimbas
• Type: mbira
• Medium: wood, iron or iron alloy, paint, chromium, cork (bark), rubber and plastic
• Dimensions: H x W x D (instrument): 8 1/4 × 5 7/8 × 1 3/4 in. (21 × 15 × 4.5 cm)
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Instrumentalists (Musicians)
• Topic: Jazz (Music)
• Topic: Music
• Topic: Musicians
• Object number: 2021.105.4a-g
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Karumah, Dunni, Ishmak, Aribania and Mariama Cosey in memory of Baba Pete Cosey
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The displayed image also has an explicit CC0 designation. The underlying object's rights statement is: No known copyright restrictions Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.