Traditional Music

Teardrop-shaped dulcimer from Jim Costa’s collection

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Tear-drop shaped lap dulcimer from Jim Costa’s extensive collection of Appalachian folklife artifacts. The dulcimer is leaning upright on wooden chair, disassembled to show the interior construction of the instrument. Photograph by Gerry Milnes, Feb 1989, Summers County, WV.

archive reference: GM S1393.

Project description: The Milnes Collection contains audio-visual recordings made and collected by the Augusta Heritage Center’s former Folk Arts Coordinator, Gerald Milnes. Throughout his career with Augusta, Milnes conducted field work to amass a large collection of photographs, oral histories, music, and event recordings. He recorded the bulk of the collection from the early 1970s to 2013, but the collection also includes tapes with earlier dates that others sent to him.

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Lap dulcimer on display at General Lewis Inn

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Four-string hourglass shaped lap dulcimer featuring 4 diamond-shaped sound holes and fancy scrollwork on head. Photograph by Gerry Milnes, Feb 1989, Lewisburg, WV.

archive reference: GM S1378.

Project description: The Milnes Collection contains audio-visual recordings made and collected by the Augusta Heritage Center’s former Folk Arts Coordinator, Gerald Milnes. Throughout his career with Augusta, Milnes conducted field work to amass a large collection of photographs, oral histories, music, and event recordings. He recorded the bulk of the collection from the early 1970s to 2013, but the collection also includes tapes and photographs with earlier dates that others sent to him.

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Close-up pegs on Basil Blake’s lap dulcimer

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Close-up sideview image of head, metal pegs, nut, and string on lap dulcimer made by Basil Blake from Bragg Runn in Braxton County. Photograph by Gerry Milnes, March 1990, Braxton County, WV.

archive reference: GM S1374. corresponding photo GM S1355 shows full instrument.

Project description: The Milnes Collection contains audio-visual recordings made and collected by the Augusta Heritage Center’s former Folk Arts Coordinator, Gerald Milnes. Throughout his career with Augusta, Milnes conducted field work to amass a large collection of photographs, oral histories, music, and event recordings. He recorded the bulk of the collection from the early 1970s to 2013, but the collection also includes tapes and photographs with earlier dates that others sent to him.

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Basil Blake playing lap dulcimer

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Black and white photo of Basil Blake performing on his lap dulcimer at the WV State Folk Festival in Glenville, WV. Original photographer unknown. Photograph of the origianl photograph by Gerry Milnes, Dec 1989, Braxton County, WV.

archive reference: GM S1370.

Project description: The Milnes Collection contains audio-visual recordings made and collected by the Augusta Heritage Center’s former Folk Arts Coordinator, Gerald Milnes. Throughout his career with Augusta, Milnes conducted field work to amass a large collection of photographs, oral histories, music, and event recordings. He recorded the bulk of the collection from the early 1970s to 2013, but the collection also includes tapes with earlier dates that others sent to him.

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Basil Blake lap dulcimer

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Basil Blake’s 3-string hourglass lap dulcimer. The instrument features wire frets and diamond-shaped sound holes. Basil Blake was described by Gerry Milnes as a pre-revival dulcimer maker from Bragg Run in Braxton County. Photograph by Gerry Milnes, June 1990, Braxton County, WV.

archive reference: GM S1371.

Project description: The Milnes Collection contains audio-visual recordings made and collected by the Augusta Heritage Center’s former Folk Arts Coordinator, Gerald Milnes. Throughout his career with Augusta, Milnes conducted field work to amass a large collection of photographs, oral histories, music, and event recordings. He recorded the bulk of the collection from the early 1970s to 2013, but the collection also includes tapes and photographs with earlier dates that others sent to him.

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Basil Blake black and white

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Black and white photo of Basil Blake standing on the porch. Milnes described Basil Blake as a pre-revival Braxton County dulcimer-maker from Bragg Run. Original photograph by Carl Fleischhauer. Photograph of the original photo by Gerry Milnes, Feb 1990, Braxton County, WV.

archive reference: GM S1367.

Project description: The Milnes Collection contains audio-visual recordings made and collected by the Augusta Heritage Center’s former Folk Arts Coordinator, Gerald Milnes. Throughout his career with Augusta, Milnes conducted field work to amass a large collection of photographs, oral histories, music, and event recordings. He recorded the bulk of the collection from the early 1970s to 2013, but the collection also includes tapes with earlier dates that others sent to him.

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Basil Blake

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Black and white photo of Basil Blake standing on the porch. Milnes described Basil Blake as a pre-revival Braxton County dulcimer-maker from Bragg Run. Photograph by Gerry Milnes, Feb 1990, Braxton County, WV.

archive reference: GM S1367.

Project description: The Milnes Collection contains audio-visual recordings made and collected by the Augusta Heritage Center’s former Folk Arts Coordinator, Gerald Milnes. Throughout his career with Augusta, Milnes conducted field work to amass a large collection of photographs, oral histories, music, and event recordings. He recorded the bulk of the collection from the early 1970s to 2013, but the collection also includes tapes with earlier dates that others sent to him.

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Stewart Blake dulcimer black and white close-up

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Black and white close-up of carved head, pegbox and tuning pegs on dulcimer made by Stewart Blake from Braxton County. Strings wrap around the peg box; Stewart Blake’s nephew Hilly Blake from Clover Fork reported that in hard times, Stewart made his strings from old broom wire. Photograph by Gerry Milnes, April 1989, Braxton County, WV.

archive reference: GM S1362.

Project description: The Milnes Collection contains audio-visual recordings made and collected by the Augusta Heritage Center’s former Folk Arts Coordinator, Gerald Milnes. Throughout his career with Augusta, Milnes conducted field work to amass a large collection of photographs, oral histories, music, and event recordings. He recorded the bulk of the collection from the early 1970s to 2013, but the collection also includes tapes and photographs with earlier dates that others sent to him.

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Stewart Blake dulcimer

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Lap dulcimer with hourglass shape made from chestnut wood by Stewart Blake from Braxton County, WV. The instrument features wire frets, diamond-shaped sound holes, and 10 smaller holes along the length of the body. Photograph by Gerry Milnes, April 1989, Braxton County, WV.

archive reference: GM S1361.

Project description: The Milnes Collection contains audio-visual recordings made and collected by the Augusta Heritage Center’s former Folk Arts Coordinator, Gerald Milnes. Throughout his career with Augusta, Milnes conducted field work to amass a large collection of photographs, oral histories, music, and event recordings. He recorded the bulk of the collection from the early 1970s to 2013, but the collection also includes tapes and photographs with earlier dates that others sent to him.

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Stewart Blake lap dulcimer

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Lap dulcimer with hourglass shape made from chestnut wood by Stewart Blake from Braxton County, WV. The instrument features wire frets, diamond-shaped sound holes, and 10 smaller holes across the length of the body. Photograph by Gerry Milnes, April 1989, Braxton County, WV.

archive reference: GM S1360.

Project description: The Milnes Collection contains audio-visual recordings made and collected by the Augusta Heritage Center’s former Folk Arts Coordinator, Gerald Milnes. Throughout his career with Augusta, Milnes conducted field work to amass a large collection of photographs, oral histories, music, and event recordings. He recorded the bulk of the collection from the early 1970s to 2013, but the collection also includes tapes and photographs with earlier dates that others sent to him.

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