The Stimmeinstellungszeichen, literally “voice disposition indicators,” are metal shapes about 10 cm in diameter. Polished brass wire is bent to form abstract curves and lines. The linguist Eduard Sievers invented them to support his system of sound analysis (Schallanalyse).
The set of eight tuning forks was acquired by the Science Museum, London, on the closure of the Physics Department of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. The box is marked “Standard Set of Tuning Forks.” A handwritten note in the Science Museum’s technical file T/1968-634 states that no mention of this particular box of forks can be found in the Museum’s copy of König’s 1889 catalogue (Koenig, R. Catalogue des appareils d’acoustique).
Armstrong Cork,. 1932. “Armstrong's Acoustical Products”. Corkoustic, Ceramacoustic For Acoustical Correction Of Churches, Auditoriums, And Theatres, And Noise-Quieting Of Banks, Schools, Hospitals, Offices, Sunday School Rooms, Factories, And Other Public Buildings. Lancaster, PA.
Armstrong Cork,. n.d. “Reducing Vibration And Noise”. Nonpareil Cork Machinery Isolation For Reducing The Noise And Vibration Of Fans, Motors, Printing Presses And Machinery Generally. Pittsburgh, PA.
Barlow, W. H. (1873) 1873. “On The Pneumatic Action Which Accompanies The Articulation Of Sounds By The Human Voice, As Exhibited By A Recording Instrument”. Proceedings Of The Royal Society Of London 22: 277-286.
