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Museum object · Furnishings, Housewares, and Décor

Bar counter from Muse Bar, the home bar of Isaiah Muse

1970s

South Shore, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States, North and Central America

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Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A bar counter faced with padded red vinyl. On the front red vinyl surface, "MR. MUSE" is written in large capital letters via metal rivets secured through the vinyl and padding to the wood below, creating a slightly quilted look. The bar frame is constructed of wood plywood sheeting and 2 x 4 boards. The top of the bar counter, and the footrest across the entire front of the bar, is covered with a thick black and gold patterned vinyl sheeting. The vinyl sheeting is nailed to the underlying wood, and is secured on the footrest with metal trim molding, and along the counter edge with red plastic tape that is no longer adhered. The counter edge is scalloped. The entire scalloped edge is finished with a rolled padded trim edge, approximately 3" diameter, covered with the same red vinyl as the front, and tacked down with metal rivets.

Sources & collection details

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗

Source collection ↗

Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

Catalog reference: 2011.101.9

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