Salterio (dulcimer)

Giovanni Antonio Berera

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Alternative Title

Salterio.

Instrument

Dulcimer/Zithers/Strings/Musical Instrument ; Dulcimer

Instrument Family

Strings

Maker

Giovanni Antonio Berera

Place Made

Europe ; Italy ; Southern Europe

Date Made

1743

Description

Trapeziod shaped box. 24-course quadruple strung. `Chess-piece' bridge with iron wire over the top of the pieces. Iron wires diameter 1.85mm on the two longer bridges, diameter 1.38mm (probably not original as it shows no signs of rust, unlike the other two wires) over the smaller bridge. The small bridge is positioned to take the lowest five courses of strings between it and the long edge bridge, with the remaining courses between the longest and the medium dividing bridge. There are marks on the soundboard with different shades of lightness to give an indication regarding how long each of the pieces had been in position. Soundboard of spruce with two wood and parchment roses, identical in design, internal diameter 49mm, external diameter 57mm. Baseboard of spruce or pine. Tuning-pins of iron diameter 4.5mm. Overall size: 764. Body length: 399 - 764. Body width: 338 (body), 359 (base). Body depth: 40 (body), 105 (total). String length: The string lengths for the lowest five courses are between 408 - 369. Course six appears to go over the middle (medium length bridge) with the longer string length (judging from the marks on the soundboard) 312, and course seven over the right hand bridge, length 425. Course 23 over the right hand bridge, length approximately 250, and course 24 over the middle bridge, the longer string length approximately 189. Signature/Marks: Maker's label on interior of instrument: Joannes Antonius Berera / fecit Tridenti Anno 1743. Label attached to the soundboard (by a previous owner) reads "84 Dulcimer / Italian 17th Cent / 24 sets of four strings". Decoration: Body of the instrument painted black. Carved and gilded base, the carved work appears to be gesso over wood. The gilding and other work has caused much of the detail to have been lost. The soundboard moulding is also carved and gilded. The `chess-pieces' come from a variety of sources, most of them appear to have been originally gilded like the moulding and base. The roses were also gilded. All of the gilding has lost much of its lustre under layers of dirt. Specific literature references: Galpin 1927, lot 1830. Illustration references: Vol. 1 p.27.

Notes

D.P. Martin, 1996-1997.

Measurements

764.

Provenance

ex- Van Raalte Collection; failed to sell at the 1927 auction; subsequently purchased by H.I. Brackenbury from Sir Arthur Wheeler, 9 December 1929, for £2/10/0. ; Government allocation to the University, 1991.

Collection

MIMEd ; C.H. Brackenbury Memorial Collection

Accession Number

1093

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