Rediscover Treasures: Legendary Musical Instruments Officially Open at MIM

The Musical Instrument Museum in North Phoenix has opened with a refreshed special exhibition titled Rediscover Treasures: Legendary Musical Instruments, on November 11. Rediscover Treasures presents 28 new acquisitions and loans of historical significance alongside exhibition favorites such as Jimi Hendrix’s Black Widow electric guitar. A walk through this gallery will expose guests to 6,000 years of some of the most influential and iconic pieces of musical instrument history.

Featured historic instruments in Rediscover Treasures include:

Hochbrucker pedal harp, Germany, c. 1720. Jacob Hochbrucker’s ingenious pedal harp design represents a revolutionary step in harp history. Single-action pedal harps would become one of the most popular instruments in the mid-eighteenth century, especially among the French aristocracy, including Marie Antoinette. Today, only four known original Hochbrucker pedal harps remain.

Emperor Go-Daigo’s hitoyogiri, Japan, early 14th century. This extraordinary Japanese instrument is one of two known hitoyogiri flutes in existence owned and treasured by Japanese emperor Go-Daigo (1288–1339). The body is profusely decorated with multiple layers of lacquer and gold powder and features elaborate dragon and cloud motifs. Loan courtesy of the Takao Oikawa Family

Crystal flute by Claude Laurent, France, 1809. A watchmaker and mechanic by trade, Laurent was a musician at heart, which led him to develop innovative glass flutes in 1806. Unaffected by temperature and humidity, these groundbreaking “crystal flutes” were stable, even-toned, and well-tuned instruments.

“The First Ukulele,” Hawaii, c. 1879. Likely crafted by Portuguese immigrant Jose do Espirito Santo, this instrument is thought to be the first Hawaiian-made ukulele. Despite its delicate construction and small size, this ukulele remains in playable condition and produces remarkable volume. Loan courtesy of Shawn Yacavone at Ukulele Friend

Rediscover Treasures will also feature iconic, celebrity-owned instruments including:

“Brownie,” Eric Clapton’s 1956 Fender Stratocaster. This two-color sunburst electric guitar was Clapton’s first Stratocaster, and it became a key part of the guitarist’s signature tone. Purchased by Clapton in a London music shop in 1967, the guitar can be heard on Clapton’s early solo classics, such as “Layla” and “Bell Bottom Blues.” Courtesy of the Museum of Pop Culture, Seattle, WA

1958 Gibson Flying V electric guitar. Created to compete with popular guitars like the Fender Stratocaster, the modernistic Flying V was initially so controversial that only 81 examples were shipped in 1958, making originals incredibly rare. This particular Flying V has been played by many world-class guitarists, including Joe Bonamassa, Eric Johnson, and Jack Pearson. Anonymous loan

Lionel Hampton’s Deagan vibraphone, c. 1935. This one-of-a-kind gold “King George” model vibraphone was custom-made for Lionel Hampton, and remains the only example built to the Deagan company’s most deluxe trim level. Known as the “King of the Vibes,” Hampton played on recordings by Louis Armstrong and others, and he effectively introduced the vibraphone to jazz music.

Dizzy Gillespie’s Martin Committee trumpet. Regarded as one of the most iconic trumpeters of all time, Gillespie played an equally iconic trumpet with a distinctive angled bell. The trumpet on display is one of Gillespie’s personal instruments; built in 1962, it features gold plating, custom engraving, and his signature upturned bell in sterling silver. Loan in memory of Joey DeFrancesco

Throughout the exhibition, original video content uncovers these instruments’ stories and the traditions they represent with performances and interviews by museum curators and notable musicians.

For information about MIM’s current special exhibition, visit MIM.org.

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Photo courtesy of The Musical Instrument Museum