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Museum object · Slavery and Freedom Objects

Instrument case for flute made for Blind Tom by William R. Meinell

1879-1884

New York City, New York, 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.

This case is the original instrument case for the flute 2014.138.1a-f, made for the performer "Blind Tom" by William R. Meinell of New York.. It is a wooden case with an exterior cover of brown leather and a lining of plush, plum colored velvet. The case has a metal clasp at the center front with a locking mechanism using a key (the key did not accompany the object). Stylized foliage designs are incised into the brown leather on the top corners of the case's exterior.

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: 2014.138.2

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