New exhibit features primitive cigar box instruments

 

HANCEVILLE, AL (Wallace State News) The art of creating musical instruments out of common household objects dates back to before the Civil War. Around 100 examples of that art is now on display at The Evelyn Burrow Museum at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville.
The History of the Cigar Box Guitar From the Collection of William J. Jehle will be on exhibit Nov. 4, 2014, through January 30, 2015. Along with the stringed instruments there are also etchings from Edward Forbes’ “Life Studies of the Great Army,” depicting the lives of Civil War soldiers. At least one of those shows a Union soldier playing a cigar box violin. Continued