Object Details
- Prince
- Haugen, Barry
- Rusan, David
- Knut-Koupee Enterprises, Inc.
- Description
- In 1983, Prince hired the Minneapolis, Minnesota guitar company Knut-Koupee Enterprises to build this, likely his first “Cloud” guitar, the bold shape of which was inspired by a unique bass guitar designed in 1972 by Jeff Levin of Sardonyx Guitars. Originally painted white, the guitar debuted in Prince’s breakout film, Purple Rain, and later was painted peach when Prince unveiled his 1987 album, Sign o' the Times. Like Prince’s genre-defying music, it features a flamboyantly fluid shape, with fretboard markers along the neck of the guitar (later added) that combine male and female symbols.
- Credit Line
- Gift of Paisley Park Enterprises
- 1983
- ID Number
- 1993.0435.01
- catalog number
- 1993.0435.01
- accession number
- 1993.0435
- Object Name
- guitar
- Physical Description
- paint (overall material)
- plastic (overall material)
- brass (overall material)
- metal (overall material)
- wood (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 38 1/2 in x 11 1/2 in x 2 3/4 in; 97.79 cm x 29.21 cm x 6.985 cm
- Place Made
- United States: Minnesota, Minneapolis
- Related Publication
- Kendrick, Kathleen M. and Peter C. Liebhold. Smithsonian Treasures of American History
- See more items in
- Culture and the Arts: Musical Instruments
- Music & Musical Instruments
- Popular Entertainment
- Guitars
- Highlights from the Culture and the Arts Collection
- Exhibition
- Entertainment Nation
- Exhibition Location
- National Museum of American History
- National Museum of American History
- Subject
- African American
- Record ID
- nmah_607482
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746b2-4673-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
