AOTUS: Collector in Chief

David S. Ferriero
10th Archivist of the United States

usnatarchives: When musician Pasquale Taraffo applied for a visa, he had to supply evidence of his abilities. This photograph of Taraffo playing the harp guitar was found in a folder in the National Archives. Born in Genoa, Italy, in 1887, the musician began giving guitar concerts at age nine. He eventually switched from the traditional guitar to the harp guitar, a 14-string instrument mounted on a pedestal. Taraffo started touring abroad in 1910, performing on his own and with other musicians. Known as “the Paganini of the guitar”—a reference to the legendary Italian violinist—he was wildly popular around the world and especially in South America. You can see Taraffo’s story in Attachments, open through September 4, and in this blog post.

usnatarchives:

When musician Pasquale Taraffo applied for a visa, he had to supply evidence of his abilities. This photograph of Taraffo playing the harp guitar was found in a folder in the National Archives.

Born in Genoa, Italy, in 1887, the musician began giving guitar concerts at age nine. He eventually switched from the traditional guitar to the harp guitar, a 14-string instrument mounted on a pedestal. Taraffo started touring abroad in 1910, performing on his own and with other musicians. Known as “the Paganini of the guitar”—a reference to the legendary Italian violinist—he was wildly popular around the world and especially in South America.

You can see Taraffo’s story in Attachments, open through September 4, and in this blog post.

(via todaysdocument)

10 months ago

  1. bipolar-happiness reblogged this from carlosflipsdesks
  2. carlosflipsdesks reblogged this from clingy
  3. quantumwobbles-has-moved reblogged this from skythrown
  4. skythrown reblogged this from usnatarchives
  5. bhaskisagoodguy reblogged this from usnatarchives and added:
    Nice guitar … Fag
  6. juxtaposer reblogged this from iseesigils
  7. diegompacheco reblogged this from aotus
  8. treveis reblogged this from bassman5911
  9. ghost-of-syd reblogged this from bassman5911
  10. bassman5911 reblogged this from infiniteinterior
  11. randomthoughtsfromskitty999 reblogged this from failureisntanoptionitsinevitable
  12. markbulmer reblogged this from todaysdocument
  13. busbyberkeleydreams reblogged this from mudwerks
  14. herondelilah reblogged this from drtuesdaygjohnson
  15. gotuponthetable reblogged this from iscreed
  16. juulaar reblogged this from sacredkarcram
  17. sacredkarcram reblogged this from usnatarchives
  18. pal3sam reblogged this from usnatarchives
  19. sick-sad--world reblogged this from usnatarchives
  20. kitten-de-ville reblogged this from thethrillofitallcm
  21. l3vanah reblogged this from backtothefiveanddime
  22. thethrillofitallcm reblogged this from backtothefiveanddime
  23. quirkyturkey62 reblogged this from backtothefiveanddime and added:
    What a lovely instrument! I wonder what it sounded like and why there aren’t any more of them being played? I imagine...
  24. backtothefiveanddime reblogged this from thewidowflannigan
  25. scorpio-phoenix reblogged this from usnatarchives
  26. kfadich reblogged this from todaysdocument

1 ⁄ 1

Twitter | AOTUS: Collector in Chief Blog | Flickr

- Inkhorn theme by PT Campbell -