Invention horn crook 1850 - 1950

Editor: So this is the Invention horn crook, a metal sculpture crafted sometime between 1850 and 1950 by Carl Gottlob Schuster. Its simplicity is almost deceptive; just this oblong loop, a utilitarian object elevated, perhaps? What speaks to you when you look at it? Curator: Well, let's consider the material first – metal. Its inherent qualities of durability and malleability allowed for the creation of this specific form, impacting its function in shaping musical sounds. The visible joins are as important as the smooth lines. How does the act of its production impact its final form? What kind of labor went into creating this seemingly simple curve? Editor: I hadn't thought about the labor involved. It seems so minimal, almost mass-produced. Curator: Mass-produced, perhaps eventually, but before that, there were likely a series of experimental forms. Consider its purpose. How does this crook interact with the larger instrument? Does its presence reflect new social rituals related to listening and experiencing music, even musical production itself? The rise of the industrial revolution must have transformed how people learned and experienced musical education. Editor: That’s fascinating, the thought that this single loop connects to larger shifts in both industry and culture. The metal isn’t just a material then, it’s a link to labour practices. Curator: Precisely! And to the changing social context of music itself, and those sounds’ broader integration with working classes’ leisure time. The geometry on display here also makes the form almost modular, reproducible, and available, altering not just the sounds, but production, labor and listeners as well. Editor: So by analyzing the material and how it’s been worked, we gain insight into a whole historical framework! I'll definitely look at everyday objects differently from now on. Curator: Exactly, it is by understanding how things were made and why, we can truly understand their value to culture at large!