Adolphe Sax's (1814–1894) Collection of Musical Instruments
Abstract
Sax&s;s private collection consisted of 467 both European and extra-European musical instruments, revealing a curiosity about the musical instrument as a phenomenon in itself. If Sax&s;s efforts in the 1840s were a matter of ‘steady research and patience’, in the next decades they were focused on collecting evidence in his numerous lawsuits, with counterfeits by his competitors of instruments protected by his own patents. However, the ‘core’ of his collection lies in the various prototypes of his new instruments, the presence of new models that he developed, and specimens of instruments that he highlighted at national or universal exhibitions.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Musicology and Musical Analysis
History of Science and Medicine
Historical Studies and Socio-cultural Analysis
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Routledge eBooks
- Pages
- 78–100
- Publication date
- 2 February 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Book chapter