Vintage Wooden Bones from 1890s

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Wooden Bones from 1890s

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Product Code: 100A1-4

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Wooden Bones from 1890s

This pair of fine old wooden musical bones recently belonged to a fellow in central Iowa.

My father played them along with a mouth harp at square dances in the 1890s and early 1900s so they are truly antique.

He goes on further to explain...

My father graduated in 1911 and received them from his father that had used them. They played at dances and small town plays.

One bone is dark brown, the other appears stained black. Although they are virtually identical in size, shape, and weight, I suspect each might be from a different species of wood. Not sure which wood, but they both seem too light in weight for ebony. There is an off chance the dark brown one might be rosewood, but I don't think so.

Yes, I am getting overly optimistic here, but considering their reported history, the blackish surface of the dark brown bone makes me wonder if it might be remnants of burn't cork (which was used as makeup in blackface minstrel shows).