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Swing Low: Harriet Tubman Memorial

Created by:
Alison Saar, American, born 1956  Search this
Subject of:
Harriet Tubman, American, 1822 - 1913  Search this
Medium:
bronze
Dimensions:
H x W x D: 22 1/2 × 12 × 24 in. (57.2 × 30.5 × 61 cm)
Type:
maquettes
portraits
Date:
2007
Topic:
African American  Search this
Activism  Search this
Art  Search this
Emancipation  Search this
Freedom  Search this
Resistance  Search this
Self-liberation  Search this
Slavery  Search this
U.S. History, Civil War, 1861-1865  Search this
Women  Search this
Credit Line:
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Mimi and Werner Wolfen.
Object number:
2011.63
Restrictions & Rights:
© 2007 Alison Saar
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
See more items in:
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification:
Visual Arts
Exhibition:
Reckoning: Protest. Defiance. Resilience.
On View:
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 052
Data Source:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5f1e3de3f-c0b8-4073-8d5a-ab2b326f79de
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmaahc_2011.63

Army of the James Medal

Title:
Butler medal
Created by:
United States Mint, American, founded 1792  Search this
Commissioned by:
Gen. Benjamin Franklin Butler, American, 1818 - 1893  Search this
Designed by:
Anthony C. Paquet, German, 1814 - 1882  Search this
Medium:
silver and silk (textile)
Dimensions:
H x W: 5 1/2 x 1 5/8 in. (14 x 4.1 cm)
Type:
medallions (medals)
Date:
1864
Topic:
African American  Search this
Military  Search this
U.S. History, Civil War, 1861-1865  Search this
Credit Line:
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Family of Irving and Estelle Liss
Object number:
2012.37ab
Restrictions & Rights:
Public domain
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
See more items in:
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification:
Awards and Medals
Exhibition:
Double Victory: The African American Military Experience
On View:
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Community/Third Floor, 3 053
Data Source:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5238bddde-5eed-4ee4-b1e8-b5d79cb712d0
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmaahc_2012.37ab
Online Media:

Pair of stars and stripes slippers attributed to Elizabeth Keckley

Attributed to:
Elizabeth Keckly, American, 1818 - 1907  Search this
Owned by:
Gideon Welles, American, 1802 - 1878  Search this
Medium:
fiber , leather and thread
Dimensions:
L x W: 10 1/4 × 3 in. (26 × 7.6 cm)
Type:
slippers
Place made:
United States, North and Central America
Date:
ca. 1865
Topic:
African American  Search this
Business  Search this
Clothing and dress  Search this
Craftsmanship  Search this
Free communities of color  Search this
Politics  Search this
Slavery  Search this
U.S. History, Civil War, 1861-1865  Search this
Credit Line:
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number:
2018.35.2.1ab
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:
Clothing-Historical
Data Source:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd524340fb0-0fd6-43e0-8608-eca7c9b11a26
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmaahc_2018.35.2.1ab

Carl Schurz

Artist:
Daniel Huntington, 14 Oct 1816 - 18 Apr 1906  Search this
Sitter:
Carl Schurz, 2 Mar 1829 - 14 May 1906  Search this
Medium:
Oil on canvas
Dimensions:
Frame: 162.2 × 136.8 × 12.1 cm (63 7/8 × 53 7/8 × 4 3/4")
Stretcher: 126.7 × 101.6 × 2.2 cm (49 7/8 × 40 × 7/8")
Type:
Painting
Date:
1899
Topic:
Interior  Search this
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Seating\Chair  Search this
Printed Material\Book  Search this
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Table  Search this
Printed Material\Papers  Search this
Equipment\Drafting & Writing Implements\Writing implement\Pen  Search this
Personal Attribute\Facial Hair\Beard  Search this
Carl Schurz: Male  Search this
Carl Schurz: Law and Crime\Lawyer  Search this
Carl Schurz: Politics and Government\Statesman  Search this
Carl Schurz: Politics and Government\Diplomat  Search this
Carl Schurz: Journalism and Media\Newspaper editor  Search this
Carl Schurz: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Brigadier General  Search this
Carl Schurz: Politics and Government\Cabinet member\Secretary of Interior  Search this
Carl Schurz: Politics and Government\US Senator\Missouri  Search this
Carl Schurz: Politics and Government\Diplomat\Minister  Search this
Carl Schurz: Society and Social Change\Reformer\Revolutionary  Search this
Carl Schurz: Military and Intelligence\Soldier\Civil War\Union  Search this
Carl Schurz: Politics and Government\Chief of Staff  Search this
Carl Schurz: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Major General  Search this
Portrait  Search this
Credit Line:
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Object number:
NPG.81.20
Restrictions & Rights:
CC0
See more items in:
National Portrait Gallery Collection
Exhibition:
Out of Many: Portraits from 1600 to 1900
On View:
NPG, East Gallery 140
Data Source:
National Portrait Gallery
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4d57ab271-d5b1-4788-a448-8739620b1a9a
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:npg_NPG.81.20

Plate 22. Signal Tower, Elk Mountain, Overlooking Battle-Field of Antietam

Maker:
Gardner, Alexander  Search this
Physical Description:
paper (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 22.6484 cm x 17.6741 cm; 8 15/16 in x 6 15/16 in
Object Name:
albumen photograph
Place made:
United States: Maryland, Antietam
Date made:
1862-09
Related event:
Civil War  Search this
ID Number:
1986.0711.0334.22
Accession number:
1986.0711
Catalog number:
1986.0711.0334.22
See more items in:
Work and Industry: Photographic History
Gardner's Sketchbook
Military
Engineering, Building, and Architecture
Photography
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ab-c7a7-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1294180
Online Media:

Plate 38. Interior of Breastworks on Round Top, Battle-field of Gettysburg

Maker:
Gardner, Alexander  Search this
Physical Description:
paper (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 17.5684 cm x 22.86 cm; 6 15/16 in x 9 in
Object Name:
albumen photograph
Place made:
United States: Pennsylvania, Gettysburg
Date made:
1863-07
Related event:
Civil War  Search this
ID Number:
1986.0711.0334.38
Accession number:
1986.0711
Catalog number:
1986.0711.0334.38
See more items in:
Work and Industry: Photographic History
Gardner's Sketchbook
Military
Photography
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ab-c2af-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1294197
Online Media:

Plate 48. Culpepper, Virginia

Maker:
Gardner, Alexander  Search this
Physical Description:
paper (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 6 3/4 in x 9 1/16 in; 17.145 cm x 23.07158 cm
Object Name:
albumen photograph
Place made:
United States: Virginia, Culpeper
Date made:
1863-11
Related event:
Civil War  Search this
ID Number:
1986.0711.0334.48
Accession number:
1986.0711
Catalog number:
1986.0711.0334.48
See more items in:
Work and Industry: Photographic History
Gardner's Sketchbook
Engineering, Building, and Architecture
Photography
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ab-c604-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1294218
Online Media:

Plate 56. Headquarters New York Herald, in the Field

Maker:
Gardner, Alexander  Search this
Physical Description:
paper (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 17.6741 cm x 23.0716 cm; 6 15/16 in x 9 1/16 in
Object Name:
albumen photograph
Place made:
United States: Virginia, Bealeton
Date made:
1863-09
Related event:
Civil War  Search this
ID Number:
1986.0711.0283.06
Accession number:
1986.0711
Catalog number:
1986.0711.0283.06
See more items in:
Work and Industry: Photographic History
Gardner's Sketchbook
Military
Photography
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ab-c9f5-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1294265
Online Media:

Plate 62. U.S. Military Telegraph Construction Corps

Maker:
Gardner, Alexander  Search this
Physical Description:
paper (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 7 in x 9 1/16 in; 17.78 cm x 23.07158 cm
Object Name:
albumen photograph
Date made:
1864-04
Related event:
Civil War  Search this
ID Number:
1986.0711.0283.12
Accession number:
1986.0711
Catalog number:
1986.0711.0283.12
See more items in:
Work and Industry: Photographic History
Gardner's Sketchbook
Military
Photography
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ab-ca00-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1294275
Online Media:

Plate 67. Quarles' Mills, on the North Anna

Maker:
Gardner, Alexander  Search this
Physical Description:
paper (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 7 in x 9 1/16 in; 17.78 cm x 22.96592 cm
Object Name:
albumen photograph
Place made:
United States: Virginia, North Anna
Date made:
1865-05
Related event:
Civil War  Search this
ID Number:
1986.0711.0283.17
Accession number:
1986.0711
Catalog number:
1986.0711.0283.17
See more items in:
Work and Industry: Photographic History
Gardner's Sketchbook
Engineering, Building, and Architecture
Natural Resources
Photography
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ab-cc32-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1294281
Online Media:

Plate 73. U.S. Military Telegraph Battery Wagon

Maker:
Gardner, Alexander  Search this
Physical Description:
paper (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 7 in x 9 in; 17.78 cm x 22.86 cm
Object Name:
albumen photograph
Place made:
United States: Virginia, Petersburg
Date made:
1864-09
Related event:
Civil War  Search this
ID Number:
1986.0711.0283.23
Accession number:
1986.0711
Catalog number:
1986.0711.0283.23
See more items in:
Work and Industry: Photographic History
Gardner's Sketchbook
Military
Photography
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ab-d1b0-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1294290
Online Media:

Plate 86. Interior View of Confederate Works at Gracie's Salient

Maker:
Gardner, Alexander  Search this
Physical Description:
paper (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 7 in x 9 in; 17.78 cm x 22.86 cm
Object Name:
albumen photograph
Place made:
United States: Virginia, Petersburg
Date made:
1865-05
Related event:
Civil War  Search this
ID Number:
1986.0711.0283.36
Accession number:
1986.0711
Catalog number:
1986.0711.0283.36
See more items in:
Work and Industry: Photographic History
Gardner's Sketchbook
Military
Photography
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ab-dde5-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1294308
Online Media:

Plate 90. Old Capitol Prison, Washington

Maker:
Gardner, Alexander  Search this
Physical Description:
paper (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 17.5684 cm x 22.86 cm; 6 15/16 in x 9 in
Object Name:
albumen photograph
Place made:
United States: District of Columbia, Washington
Related event:
Civil War  Search this
ID Number:
1986.0711.0283.40
Accession number:
1986.0711
Catalog number:
1986.0711.0283.40
See more items in:
Work and Industry: Photographic History
Government, Politics, and Reform
Gardner's Sketchbook
Military
Engineering, Building, and Architecture
Photography
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ab-e5a5-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1294312
Online Media:

Delaware Memorial, (sculpture)

Sculptor:
Tunison, Ron 1946-2013  Search this
Architect:
Dayton, Richard  Search this
Medium:
Plaques: bronze; Foundation: Vermont granite
Type:
Sculptures-Relief
Sculptures-Outdoor Sculpture
Sculptures
Owner/Location:
Administered by United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Washington District of Columbia
Administered by Gettysburg National Military Park 97 Taneytown Road Gettysburg Pennsylvania 17325
Located Gettysburg National Military Park Gettysburg Pennsylvania 17325
Date:
Dedicated April 29, 2000
Topic:
History--United States--Civil War  Search this
History--United States--Battle of Gettysburg  Search this
Figure group  Search this
Occupation--Military--Soldier  Search this
Dress--Uniform--Military Uniform  Search this
Control number:
IAS 71500387
Data Source:
Art Inventories Catalog, Smithsonian American Art Museums
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_ari_347859

View of the Stone Fleet which sailed from New Bedford Nov. 16th 1861.

Copyright holder:
Russell, Benjamin  Search this
Maker:
L. Prang & Company  Search this
Original artist:
Russell, Benjamin  Search this
Measurements:
image: 13 1/2 in x 24 3/4 in; 34.29 cm x 62.865 cm
Object Name:
lithograph
Object Type:
Lithograph
Place made:
United States: Massachusetts, Boston
Date made:
1862
Subject:
Civil War  Search this
Credit Line:
Harry T. Peters "America on Stone" Lithography Collection
ID Number:
DL.60.3250
Catalog number:
60.3250
See more items in:
Home and Community Life: Domestic Life
Art
Peters Prints
Domestic Furnishings
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746b4-b814-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_684433

Religion and the American Civil War / edited by Randall M. Miller, Harry S. Stout, Charles Reagan Wilson

Author:
Miller, Randall M  Search this
Stout, Harry S  Search this
Wilson, Charles Reagan  Search this
Physical description:
xiii, 422 p. ; 24 cm
Type:
Books
Congresses
Place:
United States
Date:
1998
Civil War, 1861-1865
Topic:
History  Search this
Religious aspects  Search this
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_565490

The Letter H., Vol. 1 - No. 2, March 16, 1863

Graphic artist:
Mosher, John M.  Search this
Bennett II, Charles  Search this
Physical Description:
paper (overall material)
ink (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 29.5 cm x 22.8 cm; 11 5/8 in x 8 31/32 in
Object Name:
newspaper
Object Type:
Letterpress
Place made:
United States: Louisiana
Date made:
1863-03-16
Subject:
Civil War  Search this
ID Number:
2012.0073.01
See more items in:
Work and Industry: Graphic Arts
Communications
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ad-909f-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1419731
Online Media:

BMI Archives Confederate Sheet Music Collection

Collector:
Broadcast Music, Inc.  Search this
Attributed name:
Cramer, Edward M.  Search this
Extent:
1 Cubic foot (1 box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Broadsides
Sheet music
Place:
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Date:
1860-1868
Summary:
This collection contains sheet music themed in support of the Confederacy. Many pieces were printed within the Confederate States of America during the Civil War (1861-1865). It also contains one Confederate bond and early twentieth century facsimiles of Confederate broadsides from the Chicago Historical Society.
Scope and Contents:
Originally titled the Edward M. Cramer Confederate Sheet Music Collection in honor of Cramer, president of the music rights organization BMI from 1968-1987, this collection contains sheet music produced within the Confederate States of America, before and after the Civil War.

Series 1, Sheet Music, 1860-1868, undated, contains single sheet songs arranged alphabetically by title as well as compilations. The compilations are filed alphabetically under the song title most identified with the Confederacy. For instance, the reel "Molly Gardner" is in a collection of reels entitled Jerdon's Reels but found under the title "Molly Gardner".

Series 2, Ephemera, 1863, undated, contains one Confederate States bond and twentieth century facsimiles from the Chicago Historical Society of a variety of Confederate broadsides.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into two series.

Series 1, Sheet Music, 1860-1868, undated

Series 2, Ephemera, 1863, undated
Biographical / Historical:
During the American Civil War (1861-1865), the South used music as propaganda and inspiration to both the Confederate forces and the civilian population. After the war the music conjured up memories of the "Lost Cause" and those unfortunate soldiers who did not return home. Subject matter for songs was wide-ranging and drew from both domestic and military themes. Even though cut off from the music publishing houses of the northern states, the South was very active in publishing music within the boundaries of the Confederacy. Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee were reported to be the most active publishing centers, with the cities of Augusta, Georgia; Columbia, South Carolina; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Mobile, Alabama also publishing sheet music. Much of this music was published on inferior grades of paper, and even though the cover engraving tended to be excellent at the beginning of the war, by war's end the covers were fairly plain and devoid of color or elaborate decoration.
Related Materials:
Materials in the Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Sam DeVincent Collection of Illustrated American Sheet Music, 1790-1980s (AC0300)
Provenance:
This collection was donated by Broadcast Music, Incorporated (BMI), 2011.
Restrictions:
This collection is open for research use.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
War Between the States, 1861-1865  Search this
Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Communications  Search this
Genre/Form:
Broadsides
Sheet music -- 19th century
Citation:
BMI Archives Confederate Sheet Music Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1258
See more items in:
BMI Archives Confederate Sheet Music Collection
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep87e23fa00-5fda-4c92-ab46-d2049795fdfb
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1258
Online Media:

Twelfth Baptist Church of Boston

Creator:
Anacostia Community Museum  Search this
Vance, Jim  Search this
Names:
Anacostia Community Museum  Search this
Anacostia Neighborhood Museum  Search this
Twelfth Baptist Church (Boston, Mass.)  Search this
Burns, Anthony, 1834-1862  Search this
Douglass, Frederick, 1817?-1895  Search this
Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879  Search this
Grimes, Leonard A., 1815-1873  Search this
Minkins, Shadrach  Search this
Collection Creator:
Smithsonian Institution. Anacostia Community Museum  Search this
Extent:
2 Sound recordings (open reel, 1/4 inch)
Type:
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Narration
Place:
Boston (Mass.)
United States
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Date:
circa 1987
Scope and Contents:
Narrator Jim Vance presents a very short history of the Twelfth Baptist Church of Boston and the life of Reverend Leonard Grimes. The church's and reverend's work with the Underground Railroad and antislavery movement, and after the passing of Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 are highlighted. The arrests of Shadrach and Anthony Burns are also addressed. Members of the Twelfth Baptist Church wanted the right to bear arms as part of the Union Forces during the Civil War; William L. Garrison and Frederick Douglass argued for this right.
Narration only. Might be part of Climbing Jacob's Ladder Audiovisual Records. Production elements: AV003356 and AV003428 [narration]. AV003356: begins at 000115 [first minute of recording related to The Times of Richard Allen]. Undated.
Biographical / Historical:
Twelfth Baptist Church of Boston might be related to the Climbing Jacob's Ladder: The Rise of Black Churches in Eastern American Cities, 1740 - 1877 exhibition which explored the growth and central role of African American churches during the 18th- and 19th-centuries in the eastern United States: Boston, Savannah, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, and Richmond. The exhibition was organized by the Anacostia Museum and held there from October 1987 to October 1988.;Twelfth Baptist Church of Boston was formed by a small group of dissentients who split from the First African Baptist Church in 1848. It served as an anti-slavery meetinghouse, and provided refuge and spiritual guidance to free blacks and fugitive slaves. Twelfth Baptist Church of Boston was also known as the Fugitives Church or the Church of the Fugitive Slave.;Reverend Leonard Grimes was pastor of the Twelfth Baptist Church of Boston from 1848 to 1874. Born to free parents in Leesburg, Virginia, Grimes first became involved in the antislavery movement through his work with the Underground Railroad in Washington, D.C.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV003428
Series Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at ACMarchives@si.edu.
Topic:
African Americans  Search this
African American churches  Search this
Churches  Search this
Church history  Search this
Religion  Search this
Slavery  Search this
Enslaved persons  Search this
Fugitive slaves  Search this
Antislavery movements  Search this
African American abolitionists  Search this
Abolitionists  Search this
Jacob's ladder (Biblical dream)  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Narration
Series Citation:
Climbing Jacob's Ladder audiovisual records, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Identifier:
ACMA.03-036, Item ACMA AV003356
See more items in:
Climbing Jacob's Ladder: the Rise of Black Churches in Eastern American cities, 1740 - 1877 Exhibition Records
Climbing Jacob's Ladder: the Rise of Black Churches in Eastern American cities, 1740 - 1877 Exhibition Records / Series 3: Audiovisual records
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa741899a7b-fa69-44d3-a38d-1caef5b36309
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-acma-03-036-ref889

Steinway & Sons Records and Family Papers

Creator:
Steinway, William  Search this
Steinway, Henry Ziegler  Search this
Steinway family  Search this
Steinway & Sons  Search this
Krüsi, Bartholomew, Rev.  Search this
Names:
CBS  Search this
German Presbyterian Church (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Lehman, Lilly  Search this
Steinway, Fred T., 1860-1927  Search this
Steinway, Henry (Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg), 1797-1871  Search this
Steinway, John  Search this
Steinway, Theodore (C.F. Theodore Steinweg), 1825-1889  Search this
Former owner:
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Musical History  Search this
Extent:
6 Cubic feet (12 boxes, including photographs and microfilm)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Business records
Diaries
Catalogs
Correspondence
Microfilms
Photographs
Minute books
Business letters
Love letters
Letters
Letter books
Place:
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Date:
1857-1919
Summary:
Records of the Steinway & Sons piano company and a daily diary of William Steinway, a key figure in the rise of the company to international prominence in the nineteenth century. The records document overall operations of the company, individual piano serial numbers, and the business and personal life of William Steinway, a prominent figure in New York business, politics, and musical life.
Scope and Contents:
The collection consists of an original diary (and microfilm copies) kept by William Steinway and microfilm copies of nineteenth century business records of Steinway & Sons. There also are business and family photographs and some miscellaneous documents.
Arrangement:
Series 1, William Steinway Diary, 1861-1896

Series 2, Steinway Business Records, 1858-1910

Series 3, Steinway Family Materials, 1877-1882

Series 4, Rev. Bartholomew Krüsi Materials, 1857-1919
Biographical / Historical:
Heinrich Engelhard Steinway (Steinweg) (born 1797, Wolfshagen, Germany; died 1871, New York City) made his first piano in 1836. In 1850 he immigrated to America and settled in New York City with his wife, three daughters, and four of his five sons. He and his sons Charles, Henry, Jr., and William at first worked for various New York piano makers until 1853 when they formed the partnership of Steinway & Sons. One year later Steinway & Sons' square pianos won first prize at the Metropolitan Mechanics Institute Exhibition (held at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.) and in 1855 won the Gold medal for the best piano (an over-strung iron-frame square piano) in the American Institute Fair at the Crystal Palace in New York City. In 1859, Henry, Jr. patented (patent no. 26,532, December 20, 1859) a design for a one-piece over-strung iron frame for the grand piano that won praise, a gold medal, and international recognition at the 1867 Paris Exposition.

The firm faced a crisis in 1865 when two of Heinrich's sons died: Henry (born 1831), who was responsible for the first seven patents, and Charles (born 1829). The family prevailed on the eldest son, C. F. Theodor (1825 1889), to sell his partnership as a piano manufacturer in Braunschweig, Germany, and to join his family in New York City. Not eager to sever all his ties in Germany, Theodor spent time in both countries until his death, contributing technical innovations that resulted in forty-one patents. One of these patents was for the duplex scale in 1872. Several of the following generation worked with the firm, including Fred T. Steinway (1860-1927), son of Charles, who served in London, Hamburg, and New York City.

C. F. Theodor Steinway's technical skills were matched by the entrepreneurial skills of his brother William (1835 1896). William was a creative businessman who played the piano, sang tenor, and supported the musical life of New York City. His promotional and marketing techniques, and his cultivation of eminent musicians and association with aristocratic patrons, helped to make Steinway & Sons so successful. William Steinway was prominent in New York City social and political life.

In 1880, Steinway & Sons opened a Hamburg branch. The firm was sold in 1972 to CBS. Subsequent owners include the Birmingham Brothers (Steinway Musical Properties, 1985-1995) and Steinway Musical Instruments, Inc. (1995-).
Related Materials:
Materials at the Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Industry on Parade (NMAH.AC.0507)

Reel # 156, Before the Concert, 1953. Making pianos. Steinway and Sons, Long Island, New York.

N W Ayer Advertising Agency Records (NMAH.AC.0059)

Contains advertising proof sheets for Steinway & Sons from 1900 through 1963. The Piano series of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana contains five folders of material on Steinway. The Industry on Parade Film Collection has a short, 1953 film (reel #156) on Steinway's manufacture of pianos in its Long Island plant. The Sohmer & Company Records contain three folders of trade literature from Steinway. These include catalogs, pamphlets, and booklets on the Steinway family genealogy and on the Steinway piano used at the White House. Sohmer, also a New York City piano manufacturer, collected copies of competitors' sales catalogs and other publications.

Materials at Other Organizations

The LaGuardia and Wagner Archives at LaGuardia Community College/CUNY is the largest repository of Steinway materials. It holds extensive business records as well as personal papers and photographs. The Steinway family loaned seventy folders of Steinway family correspondence to the National Museum of American History in October, 1984, and a program of transcription and translation was begun by the Steinway Diary Project. The original correspondence was transferred to the Archives Center in August 1985 and, at the request of Henry Z. Steinway, transferred to the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives in March, 1990. Additional Steinway materials are at the New York Historical Society, the University of Maryland Performing Arts Library, and other repositories. The control file for this collection has further information on the location of Steinway materials.
Separated Materials:
The Division of Culture and the Arts (now Division of Cultural and Community Life) holds several Steinway and Sons pianos.
Provenance:
Henry Z. Steinway donated the William Steinway diary on April 2, 1996.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research use. Researchers must use positive microfilm copy of diary. Researchers must handle unprotected photographs with gloves.
Rights:
Copyright held by the Smithsonian Institution. Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Reproduction permission from Archives Center: fees for commercial use.
Topic:
Keyboard instruments -- Manufacturing  Search this
Travel  Search this
Politics -- New York (N.Y.)  Search this
Church Interiors  Search this
Piano  Search this
Piano makers  Search this
Genre/Form:
Business records
Diaries
Catalogs
Correspondence -- 1930-1950
Microfilms -- Negative
Photographs -- 1850-1900
Minute books
Business letters
Love letters
Letters
Letter books
Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- 1900-1910
Citation:
Steinway and Sons Piano Company Collection, 1857-1919, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0178
See more items in:
Steinway & Sons Records and Family Papers
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8ded45715-d45f-4f3e-8a9b-dd3ce334c6b1
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0178
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