Matchstick Uke on Show!

tonyh

Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2011
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Location
Brighton & Hove City, England, UK
Hi UU members,

Just to tell you the Jack Hall Matchstick Uke will be on show 1st -30th May in the Jubilee Library, Brighton, U.K. I have been invited to participate in an art exhibition and as well as the uke I am showing the matchstick violin and bow, the recorder and a couple of matchstick models my father created in the 1930s. The last and 5th string instrument he made at sea was the 1939 tenor banjo. It wasn't until 45 years later aged 78 years that he made his uke.

If this is of interest to anyone I’ll gladly post details of the venue (if permitted) or send me a private message.

I have uploaded a few photos of the uke in an album.
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/member.php?67249-tonyh
 
Wow! Truly a piece of art and a testament to the value of perseverance.
 
first off, how do you even think of this? second, who has that kind of time? ....... lastly, it is still awesome!
 
I'd like to hear it play , "Light My Fire".
 
first off, how do you even think of this? second, who has that kind of time? ....... lastly, it is still awesome!

The idea was conceived during the 1930s. Daily routine in those days on board an American owned tramp steamer was monotonous, to quell the boredom Jack needed to find something to do with the time.

He began by picking up discarded matchsticks from the ship's deck tossed away by his fellow crew members. He got the notion to glue them together and make something.

Between 1936-1939 Jack built five string instruments and after a gap of 45 years in 1984 he created the matchstick uke. Thanks for the very nice sentiment.
 
That is so incredible Tony, hard to find the words really. Thanks so much for the post. I trust the exhibition goes well and Jack's instruments continue to get the accolades they so richly deserve.

Yes, please post the details of the where/when of the exhibition here on the thread mate. The more folks that get to see these amazing works of art the better.
 
I'm still trying to wrap my head around how awesome a project this must have been.

Please do post the details of the exhibition, and of course all the pics!
 
Eugene thanks for the much appreciated good wishes and comments about my father and his work.

Here is the full venue address and link to the exhibition.

The Omnia Scroll III exhibition 1st - 30th May 2013
Venue: Jubilee Library, Jubilee St, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 1GE. U.K.

Link: http://www.omniascroll.com/ the 1936 matchstick violin and bow can be viewed in the slide show on the front page and photo of Jack Hall can be viewed under Artists.

If anyone lives in South East of England in the Sussex and Kent area an item about the matchstick collection can be viewed on BBC TV SOUTH EAST TODAY, Tuesday 7th May. The item will be aired between 6:30-7:00 pm.

Thanks also to UU members for their comments and the puns. I’d love to hear “Light My Fire” played on it too gitarzan. Or, how about “Pictures of Matchstick Men?” both tunes seem to strike the right note. It would be great to post it being played, but like my father before me I can’t read or play a note.
 
Top Bottom