REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1908, 37 



primitive American sledge and a farm sled, from the Jamestown Ex- 

 position ; and part of a self-registering Avind vane, devised and used 

 by Prof. James H, Coffin, at Ogdensburg, N. Y., in 1837, donated by 

 Prof, Selden J, Coffin, of Easton, Pa, 



Ceramics. — Owing to lack of space, the gallery assigned to the sub- 

 ject of ceramics has also been used for objects of several other classes, 

 such as metal and glass work, lacquers, etc, which it has been custo- 

 mary to mention under the same heading. Miss E, R. Scidmore made 

 a large addition to her loan collection already on exhibition. It con- 

 sisted of 92 pieces of valuable porcelains, together with some bronze, 

 jade, and lacquer objects, and has been installed in a large wall case 

 on the south side of the gallery. The Korean pottery cases and the 

 Olive Risley Seward collection were rearranged and more completely 

 labeled. Lacking the services of an expert during the past year, but 

 little work was done in the division beyond attending to the safety of 

 the collections and the arrangement of such material as was received. 



Grajphic arts. — Noteworthy among the additions to the photo- 

 grajihic section w^as a large platinum portrait of Joseph Henry, 

 the first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, presented by 

 Mr. F. Gutekunst, of Philadelphia. The transfers from the Patent 

 Office included a daguerreotype camera of 1851, two stereoscopic 

 daguerreotype cameras of IS.")!, a series of mechanical devices for 

 cleaning and burnishing daguerreotype plates which is probably 

 unequaled elsewhere, and numerous other objects illustrating the 

 history of photography. While the collections of the division have 

 been maintained in good condition, the exhibition series has been 

 rendered practically inaccessible by the overcrowding of the hall, 

 and many objects have had to be withdrawn and temporarily placed 

 in storage. Tools and materials belonging in the division were 

 occasionally used for teaching purposes. A synoptical exhibit from 

 the section of photography was sent to the Jamestown Exposition. 

 It represented the more important epochs in the development of 

 photography, beginning with the first permanent photograph made 

 in any part of the world and the first camera constructed in the 

 United States. 



Mnsicdl insfninients. — An interesting addition to the collection 

 of musical instruments consisted of an example of the old melopeon 

 (harmonium), at one time manufactured by John W. Scott at Cadiz, 

 Ohio, well illustrating the early free reed keyboard instruments. 

 It was presented by the heirs of Mr. Scott through his daughter, 

 Mrs. G. W. Woodborne, of Uhrichsville, Ohio. Miss Delia Curtis, of 

 Windsor, Ontario, contributed an old melodeon with folding legs, 

 revealing the mechanism of instruments of this type. Thirteen 

 musical instruments, donated by Dr. William L. Abbott, are of 

 particular value as opening a new field of study, since they were 



