Tambourine

This instrument is crudely made and probably constructed by a musician for their own use. The inuse of a metal counterhoop to hold the skin in place and of hooks and wingnuts that allow the skin to be tensioned, is similar to those found on mid-nineteenth century banjos and drums. These details suggest the instrument may have been made to be used in performances of American minstrel music.

Technical description: The shell is constructed from a single piece of wood bent around into a cylinder and held in place by several hand-forged nails. The skin is held in place by a metal counterhoop and five hand-forged hooks and five wingnuts allow for the tension to be adjusted on the head. Five slots have been cut into the shell where jingles are mounted on small rods. Each of the five slots has a pair of flat, hand-forged jingles, of unequal and asymetrically cut tin. (Jayson Kerr Dobney, 2004)