Pipa (Bowl lute)

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Alternative Title

Pipa.

Instrument

Pipa/Lutes/Strings/Musical Instrument ; Pipa

Instrument Family

Strings

Place Made

Asia ; China

Date Made

Pre 1872 ; Before 1888, probably before 1872, possibly before 1858

Description

Light, unpolished outer case and soundboard of `tung' wood; maximum body width 255mm, body depth 45mm; neck and hexagonal pegs of darker wood; 4 convex frets on fingerboard, made of dark wood and glued on, with thin ivory tabs glued above and below; 10 frets on soundboard og bamboo; 4 silk strings.Tailpiece with inlays of bone or horn. Decoration: decorative plaque glued to top of neck; thin ivory tabs on fingerboard engraved with: (i) two ladies standing in a rural setting; (ii) seated scholar and a kneeling servant. Specific literature references: Probably to be identified with one of item 484 'Two pepas, instruments of the guitar kind (China)' in Engel 1872; probably to be identified with one of the 'Two pipas' in Hipkins 1885, p.117.

Notes

P.R. Cooke, 1995.

Measurements

1000.

Collection

MIMEd ; Reid Collection

Accession Number

0442