Early 3-string hourglass-shaped, oak wood lap dulcimer made by Basil Blake. The dulcimer features four star-shaped sound holes, wire frets, and carved strum hollow. Basil Blake was described by Gerry Milnes as a pre-revival dulcimer maker from Bragg Run in Braxton County. Photograph by Gerry Milnes, March 1990, Braxton County, WV. archive reference: GM S1545. (archive reference for coordinating photo showing full instrument: GM S1355.) 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.
