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Diatonic harp

Date1890-1910 ca.

Place MadeCentral/Southern, Germany or Bohemia, Europe

Serial No.none

Signednone
Markingsnone
DescriptionThis instrument is of the general type (usually, however, with hooks to change the pitch of certain strings) made in central and southern German and in Bohemia from about 1800 to the early twentieth century. The rustic construction of this instrument, as if by a carpenter, suggests its origin and use as a folk instrument, and its relatively small size suggests use by a woman, perhaps a poor wandering Harfenmädchen (see Droysen-Reber, op. cit., p. 50). The horizontal soundboard grain of makes a German origin somewhat more likely than one in Bohemia, where diagonal grain was rather common (see Thym-Hochrein, op. cit.). Evidence for the comparatively late dating is provided by the modern screws used in its construction, not only the large screws used to secure the body, neck, and column together but also small screws to secure the walls to the blocks and the molding to the edge of the soundboard. Also, with the rounding of all the edges, the craftsmanship lacks the crispness of earlier work.

Diatonic harp with no provision to alter the pitch of the strings. Compass now of 39 notes, AA to d4, as indicated by the red C strings of the present stringing, which appears old and presumably stems mostly from the time of the repairs to the neck. However, there are 40 wrest-pin holes and there is a plugged-up string hole in the soundboard for one note beyond the present 39th. Evidently, the original compass was of 40 notes, likely FF to c4 and was reduced to 39 notes by not using the 22nd wrest hole (which now has no pin) and adding wooden bridge pins for the top 18 strings to compensate for the misalignment caused by the gap between the 21st and 23rd wrest pins. The body is trapezoid in cross section (the back slightly narrower than the front), of box-like construction, slightly curved in toward the column. Soundboard of slab-sawed spruce (Picea, confirmed by microscopic examination), with the grain running along the width of the body (i.e., horizontally); column, sides, and back of maple (Acer campestre or a similar species, confirmed by microscopic examination); neck of walnut. The external bridge, painted black, is reinforced with brass staples across the tops of the string holes (including that of the plugged-up 40th hole); no inner bridge or soundboard bars. Back is of two pieces, joined at the center line; reinforced internally by four flat bars, one detached. No soundholes, except a large rounded opening in the bottom block. The edges of the soundboard are covered by a flat half-round molding, painted black. Column with upper and lower portions square is cross section, decorated with rows of large drilled holes and with gold-colored paint on the surfaces; central portion turned, with ball at the middle painted gold; the top surmounted by a flat black-painted cap. Neck of walnut, decorated with a row of drilled holes in its underside. The wrest pins of iron with slots. There are many old gut strings; the five lowest strings are copper-covered on a steel core, with a middle layer of silk. The column is attached to the bottom block with two large screws; likewise the top end of the column to the neck; and there are two large screws through the top block of the body into the neck. The instrument stands upright, unsupported, on four short feet. For this stability, the bottom block is at a much more acute angle with the front of the body (72º) than in many other harps from this region, in which the angle is square or nearly square, and the lower end of the body is deeper.
DimensionsHeight: 1475 mm
Maximum depth: 690 mm
Maximum width: 343 mm
Length, lowest string: 1192 mm
Length, highest string: 98 mm

Credit LinePaul and Jean Christian Collection

Object number10990

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