Blind Tom, The African American Musical Prodigy, Flute Presented by Wm. R. Meinell 

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Jun 13, 2014 - Jun 14, 2014

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• Lot Description
  Silver and ebony flute bearing a gold engraved nameplate reading Made For Blind Tom By Wm. R. Meinell, New York., with Meinell's stamp on the ebony as well. Housed in the original velvet-lined leather case.
  
  Thomas "Blind Tom" Wiggins (1849-1908) was born a slave on a Georgia plantation. Blind at birth and presumed to be mentally deficient, he was incapable of performing the work expected of a slave child and was allowed to roam the grounds and house freely. Young Tom eventually made his way to the house piano, where master General James Bethune's daughters saw him as a curiosity and began to incorporate him into their daily lessons. Tom exhibited an uncanny knack for mimicry, both on the piano and by voice -- despite being nearly unable to communicate his needs by speech. General Bethune caught word of the boy and began to exhibit him around the South, eventually securing an audience with President James Buchanan at the White House in 1860, which was possibly the first featured performance of an African American musician in that venue. 
  
  Following the Civil War, General Bethune - a rabid secessionist planter who could no longer count on slave labor to fuel his plantation - saw Blind Tom as a sort of loophole in the situation, as he could apply for guardianship due to the boy's disabilities and continue to exploit his labor. The arrangement worked splendidly for General Bethune and his son John, who made up to $100,000 per year managing Tom's tours across the United States and Europe. Blind Tom eventually added the coronet, French Horn, and flute to his regimen, and further delighted audiences with voice impressions of famous speakers and mimicry of animal noises. And contrary to his "idiocy," he composed nearly 1,000 original pieces of music - many of which became top sellers - although his handlers were legally entitled to every penny of profit. 
  
  General Bethune had appointed his son John the guardian of Blind Tom in 1875, and when John died in a railroad accident in 1884, a fierce custody battle began. Guardianship had transferred to General Bethune, but John's ex-wife Eliza and Tom's mother Charity collaborated to gain control of Tom and his earnings. After three years of legal wrangling, Tom was awarded to Eliza. Despite over three decades of stardom and having earned a fortune for the Bethune family, the August 18, 1887 edition of the New York Times reported that Tom was "returned to his mother's house with nothing but his wardrobe and a silver flute."  What's more, his new guardians had no greater interest in his welfare than the last and his mother abandoned him when it became clear that Eliza would not be sharing his earnings. Tom continued touring under Eliza's management until suffering a stroke in 1904 and succumbing to another in 1908. 
  
  Modern biographers have called Blind Tom the Slave Pianist and The Last Legal Slave in America. In spite of his talent, fame, and earning ability, the only things he ever actually owned may have been his clothes and the flute offered here. William R. Meinell was one of the top flute makers of his era, active from the 1860s to 1903, and his work is now included in the collections of the Library of Congress and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It makes sense that Meinell would have presented one of his instruments to one of the top practitioners of his time, whether for marketing purposes or out of pure appreciation of his talent. John Bethune brought Blind Tom to New York each summer from 1875 until his (Bethune's) death, and arranged for him to study under some of the best musicians in the city, including eminent flutist, T.G. Withers. Meinell would surely have been acquainted with many of these musicians, giving him an opportunity to present Tom the flute. It has also been suggested that Withers had this flute made by Meinell for Tom. Regardless, the information on hand indicates that the flute offered here is most likely the very one referred to in the New York Times article. 

  Condition

  Flute with some tarnishing but no significant physical damage such as nicks or dings.  Engraving easily discernible.  Tests to around 80% silver, and nameplate appears to be 18k gold.  Case with some worn velvet and worn leather exterior, and reinforced at the spine.
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