Name/Title
MetronomeEntry/Object ID
2024.356.1Description
Wood metronome (mahogany), likely manufactured by Seth Thomas Clock Co. This late 19th century metronome was designed by Austrian inventor, engineer, and showman Johann Maelzel (1772-1838). It uses a weighted pendulum to keep steady time. His first design for the metronome was released in 1816 in Paris, which itself was based on a device built by Dietrich Nikolaus Winkel.Context
During his lifetime, Maelzel was famous as an inventor of musical automatons which he presented in sensational expositions throughout Europe and North America. One of the first people to make use of Maelzel metronome was Beethoven. As Maelzel’s friend, Ludwig van Beethoven was a champion of the metronome. Maelzel fashioned the ear trumpets for Beethoven’s increasing deafness.
This metronome belonged to Earle Gibson.
He was born in the Town of Rush Lake, WI. He graduated from Ripon High School and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Earle was a bacteriologist and worked for The Upjohn Company in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In WWII, he served in the US Army Sanitary Corp (Medical) in Iceland and England for three and a half years. Earle held rank of Major USA (Ret). He lived in Ripon for 23 years. Earle was a life member of Ripon Historical Society.Acquisition
Accession
2024.356Source or Donor
Earle GibsonAcquisition Method
DonationLexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Primary Object Term
MetronomeNomenclature Sub-Class
Musical AccessoriesNomenclature Class
Musical T&ENomenclature Category
Category 06: Tools & Equipment for Communication
