Autoharp or barred zither.

Grunert

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Alternative Title

Akkord zither.

Instrument

Autoharp

Instrument Family

Strings

Maker

Grunert

Place Made

Europe ; Germany ; Central Europe

Date Made

(Early 20th Century)

Description

Technical description: Top end at 90º to spine, bottom end angled at about 80º to spine. Side opposite spine has a guitar shape at the lower half, with a lower bout, waist and upper point, then a straight section from the upper point to the top side. Soundboard thickness approximately 4. Lowest eleven strings overspun. Six bars for playing different chords, from top to bottom: C major, D 7th, G major, E minor, A minor, B minor. Square-headed tuning-pins. Sound-hole diameter 72, under the bars. Bars operated with springs at each end to remove from the strings when not held down. The strings which are not wanted for a chord are dampened by strips of blue felt. Case painted, making wood identification impossible. Bars have ivory buttons for pressing down. Under string 9 is a raised fretboard, marked 5 a, 6 b-h, 7 c, 8 d, 9 e, 10 f-fis, 11 g. Small frets. Fret 10 is positioned so that it would actually produce an F♯, not an F♮. Three buttons underneath on back. Notes from bass to treble are C₂, D₂, G₂, B₂, C₃, D₃, E₃, F₃-F♯₃, G₃, A₃, B₃-H₃, C₄, D₄, E₄, F₄-F♯₄, G₄, A₄, B₄-H₄, C₅, D₅, E₅, F₅-F♯₅, G₅, A₅, B₅-H₅. Overall size: 514. Body length: 514. Body width: 260 (bottom), 268 (lower bout), 269 (upper point), 112 (top) Body depth: 34 (body), 70 (maximum). String length: 445 (string 1) - 440 (string 9); 435 (string 10) - 215 (string 25). Stamped on the body near the top tuning pin, "Made in Germany"; paper label on base visible through soundhole printed "AUTOHARP / Grunert's / AKKORD ZITHER / Made in Germany". Attached celluloid label, in between the bars and the bottom giving the tuning of the instrument in stave and capital notation as listed above; strings 6 - 25 are also numbered, string 6 being numbered 1, string 7 numbered 2, etc. Plastic labels on the buttons, the first label reads "A [on its side] C dur / major"; second label "B [on its side] d sept / seventh"; third label "C [on its side] g dur / major"; fourth label "D [on its side] e moll / minor"; fifth label "E [on its side] a moll / minor"; sixth label "F [on its side] h moll / b minor". Decorative features: Painted black.

Notes

D.P. Martin, 1996-1997.

Measurements

514.

Collection

Macaulay Collection ; MIMEd

Accession Number

0778

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