Mbira and acoustic transducer owned by Pete Cosey

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 handheld llamellaphone instrument (.4a), known as a kalimba, mbira, or thumb piano, with DeArmond-brand acoustic transducer (.4b) owned and used by Pete Cosey. Instrument is a hollow wooden trapezoidal prism, with shape slightly flaring out from the end where the tines are attached to the end with resonator holes. There is one large hole on the front and two smaller holes on the back. Six of the fifteen tines have red paint on them - there is significant paint loss on each tine. Five screwheads on the back are visible and align with the tines on the front. DeArmond-brand acoustic transducer 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.

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