Double-manual harpsichord

John Wilbrook

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Instrument

Harpsichord/Harpsichords/Keyboard/Musical Instrument ; Harpsichord

Instrument Family

Keyboard

Maker

John Wilbrook

Place Made

London ; Europe ; United Kingdom ; England

Date Made

1730

Description

Technical description: Two manual English harpsichord. Compass F₁,G₁ - F₆ [FF,GG - f''']. Four registers: 2 × 8-ft, 4-ft, and lute. Dogleg.Four brass stop knobs protrude through the nameboard. 4-ft and lute on left, 2 × 8-ft on right. The natural keyplates are ebony, the accidentals have a `skunk-tail' design (ivory, ebony, ivory). The fronts of the keys are decorated with wood arcades with a pattern of horizontal lines. The lid has three long brass strap-hinges. There are three `s-shaped' catches on the cheek and bentside to hold the lid down when closed, these have a bird head design at their ends. String lengths and plucking points: F₁ 1823 (173), C₂ 1700 (157), F₂ 1509 (144), C₃ 1264 (126), F₃ 1015 (101), C₄ 717 (116), F₄ 531 (91), C₅ 356 (79), F₅ 264 (72), C₆ 175 (63), F₆ 137 (55).

Notes

Rodger Mirrey; Eleanor Smith, 2010.

Measurements

2470. ; Instrument: 29.85cm tall, 246.38cm long, 94.62cm wide at keyboard end. Stand: 64.77cm tall, 92.71cm wide at widest, 158.75cm long.

Provenance

Bought by donor at Christie's, 21 May 1970; formerly the property of Lady Margeret Fortescue, Castle Hill, Filleigh, Devon. ; Gift of Rodger and Lynne Mirrey in 2005.

Collection

MIMEd ; Rodger Mirrey Collection

Accession Number

4481