Dr. Alexander Anderson

Biography

Dr. Alexander Anderson, remembered as the 'father of American engraving,' kept a diary in 1792 that offers a detailed window into New York's musical and artistic life. His entries record engraving plates for Gilfert's Musical Magazine, visiting instrument sellers and repairers such as Mr. Pierce, Mr. Martin, and Mr. Claus, buying a tuning-fork and a violin bow at Gilfert's, and having his engraving work criticized by Scoles. Anderson was described as a passionate lover of music who mixed extensively with the dramatic, literary, and musical people of his day, making his diary a valuable primary source for the period's musical trade.

Highlights

• Known as the 'father of American engraving.'
• His 1792 diary records detailed daily interactions with musicians, instrument dealers, and craftsmen in New York, including engraving work for Gilfert's Musical Magazine.
• Described as a passionate lover of music, extensively involved with the dramatic, literary, and musical circles of his time.

Source

Daniel Spillane, History of the American Pianoforte (1890), pp. 100, 101.

Public domain.