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Sitar with tumba, acoustic pickup, and extra strings owned by Pete Cosey

Catalog Data

Manufactured by:
Unidentified  Search this
Rowe Industries, American, 1940 - 1970  Search this
Used by:
Pete Cosey, American, 1943 - 2012  Search this
Medium:
wood and metal with cloth, lacquer, polymer and duct tape
Dimensions:
H x W x D (sitar body): 47 5/8 × 12 3/16 × 12 in. (121 × 31 × 30.5 cm)
H x W x D (tumba): 5 7/8 × 5 7/8 × 6 3/8 in. (15 × 15 × 16.2 cm)
Type:
strings (chordophone components)
sitars
Place made:
India, Asia
Date:
late 20th century
Description:
.6abcd Sitar with tumba, transducer, and extra strings
Sitar (.6a) with detachable lakadi ka tumba (.6b), mid-tone laquered wood with white, red, and black decorative motif in polymer inlay. Wood has decorative leaf motifs carved into body. Tuning pegs (kuntis) and lakadi ka tumba leaf motif are darker, either different wood or lacquer. Headstock of sitar has sticker, blue on silver, that reads [MADE IN INDIA]. Sitar body (kadu ka tumba) has duct tape on it, possibly for attaching acoustic transducer.
DeArmond-brand acoustic transducer (.6c) 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.
Additional metal strings (.6d) are included.
Topic:
African American  Search this
Instrumentalists (Musicians)  Search this
Jazz (Music)  Search this
Music  Search this
Musicians  Search this
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
Object number:
2021.105.6.1a-d
Restrictions & Rights:
No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
See more items in:
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification:
Musical Instruments
Data Source:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd59fd020f4-afb4-4b35-9318-c98c2ee266bf
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmaahc_2021.105.6.1a-d