Patent model for music type: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This patent model demonstrates an invention for a method of printing large music charts for educational purposes; the invention was granted patent number 78855. The type was made of wood. Each note came with its part of the staff lines, and with shoulders that interlocked and overlapped with those of its neighbors, to produce a continuous line of music.

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: ca 1868
• patent date: 1868-06-16
• patentee: Balch, Edward L.
• Object Name: manufacture, music type
• Object Name: Paper
• Object Name: music printing
• Object Name: music printing quoins
• Object Type: Patent Model
• Physical Description: wood (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: 5.6 cm x 19 cm x 9.4 cm; 2 3/16 in x 7 1/2 in x 3 11/16 in
• ID Number: GA.89797.078855
• patent number: 078855
• accession number: 089797
• catalog number: GA*89797.078855
• 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. The displayed image also has an explicit CC0 designation.