Henry Harris (1832-1913) of Mercer, Maine, is pictured in his violin workshop. Aside from making violins, Henry also worked as a cobbler and farmer. Harris showed remarkable musical talent from a young age and made his first violin when he was 14. Throughout his lifetime, Harris made roughly 40 violins, earning a reputation for producing some of the finest-quality examples in Maine.

This photograph is part of Coll. 2978, a research collection related to amateur and professional violin makers from Maine. James R. Kane, who taught music in California for 36 years and was born and spent summers in Maine, researched and compiled this exhaustive collection.

This collection includes correspondence with the family members of the violin makers, research notes, photographs, and newspaper clippings.