Clàrsach (harp).

Henry Briggs

(Note: Each icon above opens in a new tab.)

Instrument

Clarsach/Harps/Strings/Musical Instrument ; Clarsach

Instrument Family

Strings

Maker

Henry Briggs

Place Made

Glasgow ; Europe ; Scotland ; United Kingdom

Date Made

1932

Description

Frame harp with hexagonal resonator. 30 strings – the lowest 3 of metal wound gut, the rest a mix of nylon and gut. Mahogany. Metal tuning pins and blades. Three rectangular sound holes on back of soundbox. Materials Strings: A variety of gut, nylon, and metal-wrapped gut strings. There are 3 strings wrapped in metal which are the strings for the bass notes. The rest of the strings are either gut and nylon, with variation seeming to depend on string replacements due to breakages from use. There are 17 gut strings and 9 nylon strings. Some of these strings have been coloured with dyes during production or, in one or two cases, it appears that the player has used an unknown substance to colour certain strings when they did not have a dyed string to hand when replacing a coloured string. Body: Mahogany. Suspension rod, tuning pins and blades: Metal Signature marks: On paper label adhered to inner soundbox: DALRIADA CLARSACH / MADE BY BRIGGS, / GLASGOW 1932. Plaque: Small metal plaque on pillar of harp reads ‘PRESENTED TO CHARLES MACCONVILLE ESQ: WINNER OF “DAILY RECORD” CLARSACH FOR GAELIC MELODY COMPETITION APRIL 1933’. Decoration: Decorative carvings on the small curved base, the pillar, and on the front of the head of the harp. The design on the base is a trinity knot, surrounded by texture created by carved mark-making. The design on the head is very simple, consisting of two concentric rectangles with small, decorative curves at each corner. The pillar has a section of carved design just below the head that simulates a woven pattern surrounded by crosshatching. Below this, a raised carving on the harp’s pillar is a simplistic, less highly decorated of a snake carving. Damage: Small chip on head. Some small dents around base of soundbox, possibly caused by contact with the instrument’s stand. Damage due to wear focused in the area where the stand has made contact with the soundboard. Accessory: stand Measurements: Total measurements of instrument (not including stand): (Height) 106.6 cm; (Width at widest point) 53 cm; (Width at smallest point) 14 cm; (Total width) 56 cm Neck: (Length) 54.7 cm Soundbox: (Height) 88 cm; (Width at widest point) 13.6 cm; (Widest at smallest point) 6.5 cm Crown/head: (Height) 11.5 cm; (Width) 5cm Neck: (Height at widest point) 11.3 cm Semitone blades: (Largest blade) 3.5 cm (H) x 1.1 cm (W); (Smallest blade) 3.2 cm (H) x 0.8 cm (W) Length of strings from suspension rod to tuning peg (strings numbered from 1 to 30 with 1 denoting the string of the highest pitch and 30 denoting the string of the lowest pitch): (String 1) 8.3 cm; (String 2) 10 cm; (String 3) 11.7 cm; (String 4) 13 cm; (String 5) 14.5 cm; (String 6) 15.8 cm; (String 7) 17.2 cm; (String 8) 18.5 cm; (String 9) 20 cm; (String 10) 21.3 cm; (String 11) 22.7 cm; (String 12) 24.60 cm; (String 13) 26.30 cm; (String 14) 28.40 cm; (String 15) 30.50 cm; (String 16) 32.60 cm; (String 17) 35 cm; (String 18) 37.80 cm; (String 19) 40.30 cm; (String 20) 43.30 cm; (String 21) 46.30 cm; (String 22) 49.50 cm; (String 23) 53.1 cm; (String 24) 56.50 cm; (String 25) 60.60cm; (String 26) 64.30 cm; (String 27) 68.30 cm; (String 28) 73 cm; (String 29) 76.50 cm; (String 30) 77.50 cm

Measurements

Instrument: 21.59cm wide at widest, 20.32cm deep when lying on its side, 34.29cm long.

Provenance

Gift of Peter Cooke.

Collection

MIMEd

Accession Number

4224

Related Items