xylophone

Object NameXylophone

Maker Ruben Warne

Made FromGlass, Wood, Paper, String, Metal

Dateabout 1850-1875

Place MadeEngland, Norwich

Techniquesheet glass, cut , grazed

SizeOverall W: 88 cm, D: 24.8 cm

Accession Number83.2.29

Curatorial Area(s)

Modern

Not On View

Physical DescriptionColorless non-lead glass; sheet glass, cut and grazed. Flat, tapered wood box with hinged, fitting cover, with rounded leading rim; rectangular paper label with cut corners, printed "MANUFACTURED BY REUBEN WARNE, AT HIS PIANOFORTE WAREHOUSE, / CORNER OF / COCKEY LANE, POTTERGATE STREET, / NORWICH."; the box with two compartments, one tapered,with wood sounding board in three parts, with twenty-five cut circular holes, with twenty five sheets of thin glass with grazed ends, and pairs of holes, strung on two parallel lengths of cord; the other, rectangular compartment, with rounded slots at either end, to fit a loose cylindrical wood roller with bulbous knobs at the ends, with a paper sheet with printed letters in black and red cemented on the surface; the letters arranged in rows, with horizontal and vertical lines separating them; a thin, rectangular wood lath, with hollowed curve on the underside, fits loosely over the wood roller, with paper sheet cemented on top, printed upper and lower case letters in a central band, and written ink script letters, identifying the notes of the glass sheets; two tapered glass boards fit loosely over the top and bottom of the glass sheets, and are held in place by metal pins at one end (missing from the other end); large rectangular wood lugs at either end of the outside of the case; portion of a blue and white printed paper label on the top of the lid, inscribed in ink "Heresey" (?); the case varnished inside and out; dovetailed construction; a loose circular printed paper label found inside the case, inscribed "J. BROOK & BROS. / + MELTHM ENGLAND + / 100 / YDS.." in blue within two gold circles, presumably the label from a spool of thread or string.
Provenance

Source Christopher Sheppard (d. 2015) - 1983-06-02