Autoharp or barred zither.
InstrumentAutoharp |
Instrument FamilyStrings |
MakerWilliam Brown |
Place MadeUnited Kingdom; Europe; Largs; Scotland |
Date Made(Early 20th Century) |
DescriptionTechnical description: Black painted wooden body and action. 14 buttons for (from bottom left hand to top left hand) tonic, subdominant, supertonic minor, mediant minor, dominant, supertonic 7th, subdominant minor, (from bottom right hand to top right hand) dominant 7th, relative minor, tonic 7th, submediant 7th, tonic diminished, mediant major, dominant minor. Slide for transposing into different keys, and keybed plan under the strings to act as a guide. 37 strings, chromatic over three octaves from G₁ to G₄, transposer in middle octave allowing any pitch within the octave. Strings hitched to the bottom, sliding over iron bridge wires. Square headed tuning-pins. Nut pins set behind the iron wire allowing side draft. Red coloured buttons. Green felt under the transposing box. The lowest 15 notes are on a nut parallel to the bridge, the remainder on an angled nut. Overall size: 573. Body length: 573. Body width: 334 (body maximum), 310 (bottom), 302 (waist), 315 (point), 375 (including transposing slide). Body depth: 45 (body), 100 (including action box). String length: 505 - 287. Inscribed on white plastic plate "WILLIAM BROWN / FRETWORKER & HARPMAKER / 61 Nelson Street, Largs / AYRSHIRE". Decorative features: Black painted casework, red buttons. Black wooden case with red felt inside, outside case dimensions 642 × 542 × 158, Repair History: Top string missing; case hinges broken. |
NotesD.P. Martin, 1996-1997. |
Measurements573. |
Provenanceon loan to the Collection. |
CollectionMIMEd |
Accession Number2511 |