Journal of the
American Musical
Instrument Society
The Journal of the American Musical Instrument Society has been published annually since 1975. It contains articles, book reviews, a list of recent publications, and other notices and relevant advertisements. Full texts of all but the three most recent volumes are available for download courtesy of the AMIS through its partnership with MIRCat.
The download page can also be reached through the AMIS website.
THE
The New-York Book of Prices
for
Manufacturing Piano-fortes
by The Society of Journeymen Piano-forte Makers;
New York, 1835
Foreword by Henry Z. Steinway
Introduction by Laurence Libin
Published by the American Musical Instrument Society
“The social principle of man, reasonably exercised for any laudable object, must be for his individual and social advantage. . . . The journeymen Piano-forte Makers, of the City of New-York, believed it necessary and expedient to form themselves into a Society, for the better regulating and equalizing their prices. The Society have, after much labour and expense, completed their Book of Prices, which will, they trust, be found as correct as the nature of the work would admit of, it being the first publication of the kind ever printed in the United States.”
-- From the Preface to the Book of Prices
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The Sonnerstine Archive
In 1961, Charles Sonnerstine traveled Europe visiting harpsichord makers and documenting historic keyboard instruments. A planned career in harpsichord-making then took a different turn. Decades later, his collection of reflections, measurements, and photographs were finally transferred to San Francisco harpsichord maker Kevin Fryer. The Sonnerstine collection is the inaugural project of the MIRCAT Virtual Archive.
