Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Guide to the Sam DeVincent Collection of Illustrated American Sheet Music, Series 15: Holidays and Celebrations

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.0300.S15
Creators:
DeVincent, Sam, 1918-1997
Dates:
1847-1982
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
6 Boxes
Repository:
Sam DeVincent loved music and art and began collecting sheet music with lithographs at an early age. Series 15, Holidays and Celebrations contains approximately 500 pieces of sheet music and other materials documenting the development of and popular attitudes towards holidays, celebrations, and travel in the United States. 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 15, Holidays and Celebrations, 1847-1982, undated, contains approximately 500 pieces of sheet music and other materials documenting the development of and popular attitudes towards holidays, celebrations, and travel in the United States. Note that Christmas items are in Series 10, Sacred Music and Religious Themes, subseries 7.
Series 15 is divided into nine. The music comprises about two cubic feet plus one folder in Ephemera. Sheets are arranged alphabetically within each folder. Note that the dates always refer to copyright of the music and not to an event, person's life, or performance.

Arrangement note

Arrangement note
Arranged in 11 subseries.
  • 15.1: Holiday, Travel, Vacation
  • 15.2: Carnival
  • 15.3: Mardi Gras
  • 15.4: Masquerade
  • 15.5: Halloween
  • 15.6: Thanksgiving
  • 15.7: New Year
  • 15.8: Park
  • 15.9: Picnic
  • 15.10: Rolling Chairs
  • 15.11: 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 15: Holidays and Celebrations 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