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Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Guide to the Sam DeVincent Collection of Illustrated American Sheet Music, Series 14: Calendar, Time, and Weather
Summary
- Collection ID:
- NMAH.AC.0300.S14
- Creators:
-
DeVincent, Sam, 1918-1997
- Dates:
-
1811-1980undated
- Languages:
-
English.
- Physical Description:
-
17 Boxes
- Repository:
Sam DeVincent loved music and art and began collecting sheet music with lithographs at an early age. Series 14, Calendar, Time, and Weather contains approximately 1,800 pieces of sheet music, documenting attitudes toward and consequences of natural events. The four seasons comprise the larger part. An overview to the entire DeVincent collection is available here: Sam DeVincent Collection of Illustrated American Sheet Music.
Scope and Contents note
Scope and Contents note
Series 14, Calendar, Time, and Weather, 1811-1980, undated, contains approximately 1,800 pieces of sheet music, documenting attitudes toward and consequences of natural events. The four seasons comprise the larger part. The materials are grouped by subject, with titles arranged alphabetically within each folder. The dates of the sheet music refer to copyright of the music, and not to the subject on the cover, songwriter's life, or other events.
Subseries 1, Years, 1880-1945, undated, is in one folder of only thirteen items, most of which have to do with Leap Year. New Year's Eve items are in Series 15, Folder V.
Subseries 2, Seasons, 1850-1978, undated, contains songs and instrumentals directly pertaining to Autumn, Spring, Summer, and Winter. Note that Thanksgiving and Harvest are in Series 15, Holidays and Celebrations. Beach and Swimming music is with the Summer section of this subseries. Music about Snow is included in the Winter section.
Subseries 3, Months, 1855-1978, undated; four months (April, May, June, and September) have their own folders. A fifth category is "Other Months." Some titles have more than one month mentioned so always check the Other Months folder.
Subseries 4, Days of the Week, 1853-1965. Sunday is the only day with its own folder; other days of the week are in the third folder. Also see Series 10, Sacred Music and Religious Themes.
Subseries 5, Clocks and Time, 1844-1967, undated. Most items have Clock or Time in the title, but some sheets are included because the cover illustration includes a clock. Note that "Father Time" items that are specific to the aging process are in Series 9, Domestic and Community Life, suberies 8.
Subseries 6, Weather, 1811-1980, undated. Sun and Rain are the largest part of this subseries. Songs about three specific floods are in Folder L, but one should also look in Series 8, Geography under specific states. Note that "snow" subjects are in subseries 2 with "winter."
Ephemera, 1952-1982, undated, consists of one folder. There are a number of DeVincent's notes referencing other parts of the collection, as well as several articles, some undated, regarding various floods, and other items relating to the subjects in the Series.
Material related to this series within the DeVincent Collection may be found in Series 2, Armed Forces; Series 5, Politics and Political Movements; Series 8, Geography; Series 12, Plants and Animals; and Series 15, Holidays and Celebrations.
Arrangement note
Arrangement note
Arranged in 7 subseries.
- 14.1: Years
- 14.2: Seasons
- 14.3: Months
- 14.4: Days of the Week
- 14.5: Clocks and Time
- 14.6: Weather
- 14.7: Ephemera
Administration
Author
NMAH Staff
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
This collection was purchased by the Smithsonian Institution in 1988 from Sam and Nancy Lee DeVincent.
Digital Content
Using the Collection
Preferred Citation note
The Sam DeVincent Collection of Illustrated American Sheet Music, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Conditions Governing Access note
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use note
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Materials in Other Organizations
Materials in Other Organizations
Sam DeVincent Collection of American Sheet Music, Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
This collection contains duplicates of materials in the Smithsonian collection, as well as materials acquired by Mr. DeVincent after the donation to the Smithsonian. The phonograph records described above were transferred to the University of Missouri at Kansas City.
Materials in the Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Materials in the Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Donald J. Stubblebine Collection of Musical Theater and Motion Picture Sheet Music and Reference Material, 1843-2010 (AC1211)
Forms Part Of
Forms Part Of
Series 14: Calendar, Time and Weather forms part of the Sam DeVincent Collection of Illustrated American Sheet Music .
An ongoing, updated list of DeVincent topical series is available via the Smithsonian finding aid portal.
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
archivescenter@si.edu
