Concert zither

Alternate name(s)

Alpine zither
Zither, Alpine, fretboard, accompaniment, bass, and sub-bass strings

Date1900 ca.

Place MadeGermany, Europe

ModelSalzburg form

Serial No.none

SignedSoundhole label: white triangular paper label with red border; on red border in white printed: ANERKANNT ERSTKLASSIG / GEARBEITETES U. KLINGENDES / KUENSTLER – FABRIKAT.; in left and right corners of borders in white printed: F.O.M.K.; inside red border, image of a crown and two lions flanking a shield with scrolling accents; on shield in black printed: F / OMK; underneath shield in black printed: MARCA DE FABRICA; illegible signature written in blue ink overtop shield imagery on center of label
Markingsnone
DescriptionStrings: 32 strings; 5 melody strings, 27 accompaniment strings
Body:
Top: maple painted in imitation of rosewood
Back: black-painted spruce
Sides: black-painted maple with glossy finish
Edging: 3 ply maple purfling around soundboard; alternating layers of pearwood and unfinished maple strips; pearwood binding
Soundhole: circular soundhole centered on soundboard; 3 ply purfling edging; alternating layers of pearwood and unfinished maple strips; pearwood binding
Fretboard: black-stained hardwood with 30 nickel silver frets including zero fret; single mother-of-pearl dot position markings located behind fifth, ninth, twelfth, seventeenth frets
Nut: black-painted hardwood with copper-colored steel wire saddle
Bridge: black-painted hardwood; 1 steel wire saddle for accompaniment strings, 1 steel wire saddle for melody strings; black-painted maple hand rest
Tuning Pins:
chord string tuners: 27 nickel-plated steel tuning pins
Melody string tuners: 5 worm gear tuning mechanisms with white celluloid heads; nickel-plated steel cover plate engraved with floral design; 5 decoratively turned nickel-plated brass rollers
Table-top Rests:
3 ball-shaped black-painted hardwood rests with steel needle points (2 missing with removal holes)
DimensionsBody: 567 mm long, 294 mm wide
Fretboard: 357 mm long, 60 mm wide
Melody string vibrating length: 418 mm
Highest chord string vibrating length: 456 mm
Lowest chord string vibrating length: 493 mm
ProvenanceArne B. Larson Collection, Vermillion, South Dakota, 1979.

Credit LineArne B. Larson Collection, 1979

Object number02550

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