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This roller organ roll was made by an undetermined maker in the United States, about 1885. It is roll #205 - "Dixie." This roll is playable in 20-note roller organs.

This roller organ roll features U. S. Patent #333390, dated July 14, 1885, by Henry B. Morris for a barrel for mechanical musical instruments.

This mixing box was made by Raytheon Manufacturing Company in Chicago, Illinois, 1950s. It is a portable mixing box, model RR-30, serial #201, made of metal, with plastic components. This mixing box was used with other equipment in the remote ready box (2002.0319.20) by the Annapolis, Maryland radio station, WANN (1190 AM), for remote broadcasts. The mixer was accessioned with a custom carrying box, made of wood, covered with beige and brown fabric, with a clear plastic handle, two metal latches, and metal covered corners. The front of the box is stenciled “WANN.”

WANN (1190 AM) was a radio station based out of Annapolis, Maryland that primarily served the area's growing African American community. Morris Blum founded it in 1946, and it broadcast to the entire mid-Atlantic region. The station was home to disc jockey Charles "Hoppy" Adams starting in the early 1950s. Adams hosted weekly events at a local African American only beach, Carr's Beach, which were popular with the area's youth population.

WANN continued to program gospel, rhythm and blues, and public affairs features until 1992 when the station changed to a mainstream country format with the catchphrase “Bay Country 1190.” Around 1998, the station changed ownership and became WBIS, broadcasting a News Talk Information format.

This button is made of teal paper with black ink covered with a clear film, on a round two-piece metal button with a safety pin clutch. The button is printed:

NAACP
IMAGE
AWARDS

This button celebrates Maxim Saury. It is a round button with a light blue background with black printing, covered with a clear film, on a two-piece metal button with a pin back. The button is printed:

Maxim Saury
[image of a clarinet]
JAZZ MUSIC

Maxim Saury (1928-2012) was a French jazz clarinetist and bandleader, who was prominent in the development of New Orleans and traditional jazz in France.

Floyd Levin (1922-2007) was a Los Angeles textile manufacturer who turned his passion for jazz into a second career as an influential jazz journalist and historian. His numerous reviews, profiles, and articles were published in magazines such as Down Beat, Jazz Journal International, Metronome, and American Rag. He also authored Classic Jazz: A Personal View of the Music and the Musicians. Items in this collection (2011.3086) were acquired from Levin’s attendance at Jazz Festivals, conferences, and other music events.

This sheet music is for the song “A Little Bit Independent,” with lyrics by Edgar Leslie and music by Joe Burke. It was published by Donaldson, Douglas and Gumbile Inc. in New York, New York, in 1935. The cover notes that the music contains an “additional Chorus for Piano Accordion arranged by Pietro Deiro.” The cover features an inset photograph of Ken Sparnon, who “successfully featured” the song with his orchestra. The rest of the cover is yellow and cream with a profile drawing of a woman.

Kenneth H. Sparnon (1895-1972) was a pianist, organist, trombonist, and arranger who performed in vaudeville and in movie theater stage shows. He was also music director of radio stations in Syracuse and Rochester, New York and provided consultant services to radio music directors as an employee of the Broadcast Music Inc.

This sheet music is for the song “Lay Me Where the Birds are Singing,” which was published around 1880 by F. A. Cotharin in New York, New York. Cotharin produced a journal called Musical Album, in which he would publish various musical pieces. The cover of this sheet music features an illustrated portrait of Florence Rice Knox, a popular singer at the time whose image was used to sell this music. Printed on the cover:

Compliments of C. F. Cook & Co.
12 Winter Street, Boston

This music box disc was made by Mermod Freres, in St. Croix, Switzerland, around 1896-1898. It is Stella Disc #456 - "The Warmest Baby in the Bunch," by George M. Cohan. This disc is playable in Mermod Freres music box models, #63, #84, #126, #168, and #268, which can accommodate 17-1/4” diameter discs.

According to the accession correspondence, the music box and accompanying discs were purchased by the donor in Worcester, Massachusetts, July 25. 1901

This music box disc was made by Regina Music Box Co. in Rahway, New Jersey, around 1901-1902. It is Regina Disc #1993 - "Hiawatha (A Summer Idyl)," by Neil Moret. This disc is playable in a Regina Disc Music Box that can accommodate a 15-1/2” diameter disc.

This disc features the following patents:

U. S. Patent #417649, dated December 17, 1889 by Oskar Paul Lochmann for a music plate for mechanical instruments.

U. S. Patent #500374, dated June 27, 1893 by Gustav A. Brachhausen and Paul Riessner for a note-plate for music boxes.