7-course descant lute
Maker
Richard Berg
Date1982
Place MadeOttowa, Ontario, Canada, North America
SignedWritten in black ink on paper label with cut corners: Richard Berg / 1982DescriptionThis 7-course descant lute is a copy of an original instrument in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. An ivory version of the same instrument was made by Berg for lutenist Toyohiko Sato. Stringing: 7 courses; 6 double courses and one single top string
Soundboard: two-piece quarter-cut Swiss pine: narrow-to-medium grain with slight bear-claw figure; top extends 9 mm onto neck; ebony and mammoth ivory triangle with concave sides and ebony and mammoth ivory heart inlaid at bottom edge
Bowl: 19 shaded yew staves divided by ebony spacers
Clasp: two-part shaded yew divided by ebony spacer
Head: beech; veneered in ebony on exterior with maple binding and 6 inlaid maple strips on back
Neck: veneered with ebony divided by 10 maple strips
Binding: ebony half-binding
Fingerboard: ebony; 9 tied gut frets
Nut: mammoth ivory
Bridge: black-stained hardwood tie bridge with scroll ends, the top with scribed line around border and asterisk-like stamps; ebony pieces currently tied on top of bridge for action adjustment
Pegs: 19 medium plum pegs with integral pins
Rose: geometric, carved from top
Finish: clear varnish on bowl
Bowl lining: light strips of cloth reinforcing stave joints and running perpendicular to stavesDimensionsTotal 7-course descant lute length: 600 mm
Length of body, to neck: 322 mm
Top length: 331 mm
Maximum body width: 218 mm
Maximum bowl height: 92 mm
Head length: 156 mm
Head width, top: 26 mm
Head width, bottom: 46 mm
Neck length (nut to ribs): 180 mm
Neck width, nut: 53 mm
Neck width, heel: 66 mm
Soundhole diameter: 70 mm
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): 440 mmProvenancePurchased new by the donor.
Credit LineGift of Donna J. Curry, 2021
Object number15613
On View
Not on view
