Dital Harp.

Light

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Instrument

Dital harp

Instrument Family

Strings

Maker

Light

Place Made

Europe ; England ; London ; United Kingdom

Date Made

Early 19th century

Description

Technical description: The lower section of the body (in plan view) is rounded, with straight sides from bridge level to the neck and column joints. The back is rounded, the straight section having seven ribs, the central rib being wider than the others, and the lower section being bent out of a single piece, butting to the ribs. The lower part is at an angle of approximately 75º to the soundboard. The central rib has two oblong slots with rounded ends cut into it, the slot closest to the neck measuring 70 × 13mm, the lower slot 67 × 15mm. The interior can be seen through these slots. The bridge has notches cut out under the ten highest pitched strings in order to lower the action, the deepest notch cut out under the highest pitched string. There is a simple geometric carved and gilded wooden rose, glued to the underside of the soundboard, sound-hole diameter 85mm. The interior of the back is covered in a linen or hemp cloth, no barring. The soundboard has four lateral bars - one above the rose, three below. There are strips of linen or hemp glued to the soundboard above the top bar and below the bottom bar, possibly later repairs. Raised fingerboard. Nuts and frets of ivory. Strings 8-11 have semitone ditals, the dital for string 8 has a lock turning mechanism on the underside of the headpiece, the others have to be turned from the top. There is a hole in the fingerboard between strings 5 and 6, set between the nut and fret 1 (based on the 5th string viewpoint, frets 1 and 2 when considered from the 6th string). Column diameter approximately 23mm. Current stringing indicates strings 11 and 4 are tuned to F, string 7 to C. Serial number: 648. Overall size: 823. Body length: 424. Body width: 352 (at widest part), 165 (at neck joint). Body depth: 140 (at deepest), 67 (at neck joint). String length 1: (on fretted fingerboard) - 355 (strings 1), 375 (strings 2-5), 399 (strings 6-7). String length 2: (open strings) 560, 587, 618, 636, 640. Number of frets: 11 at string 1. Signature marks: Handwritten in gold paint above the top end of the fingerboard "648. / Light. / Foley Place / London". Decorative features: The column on the bass side is in a classical style fluted along the length with a carved finial. Instrument painted black with gilt decoration around the sound hole and edge of the soundboard, a drop above the sound hole, trophy below the sound hole and an angel playing a lyre between the bridge and the bottom of the instrument. The edge decoration includes angel's heads and lyres. The bottom and finial of the column gilt, as are the flutes along the column. Gilt lines forming borders near the edges of the ribs and lower curved piece on the back, the top of the body, and the neck and headstock. Repair History: There are three screws from the bridge into the soundboard, probably later additions. The pine soundboard is arched at the bridge, possibly due to the tension of the strings.

Notes

D.P. Martin, 18/11/1995.

Measurements

823.

Provenance

on loan to the Collection.

Collection

MIMEd

Accession Number

0854

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