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Small string instruments like this can be found playing traditional folk music in many parts of Europe and North America. Similar instruments include the langeleik of Norway, langspil of Iceland, hummel of Sweden, and the Appalachian dulcimer of the United States. The wide-spread use of these instruments is most likely due to their simple design and their haunting sound, which combines both melody and drone strings.
Epinette des Vosges
I Lambert

Instrument Information

Title

Epinette de Vosges

Alternative Title

Epinette de Vosges.

Accession Number

0179

Collection

MIMEd; Macaulay Collection

Date Information

Date Made

Circa 1800

Period

18th century; 19th century; 1790s; 1800s

Gallery Information

Gallery

Laigh Room

Case

Traditional instruments display

Maker Information

Maker Name

I Lambert

Maker Biography

More work to be done.

Made In

No information recorded.

Description

Technical Description

Body of wood - back of beech, sides of plane (?), soundboard of a dark hardwood (stained pear ?), bottom and scroll of cherry. Soundboard has two decorative holes, a heart shaped hole 110mm below the nut and a four-leaf clover 330mm below the nut. Five strings, two of which are over the fretted area, the remaining three over the bridge and nut only. Bridge, nut and frets of brass, 14 frets measuring 42.5mm, 77mm, 98.5mm, 134mm, 162mm, 177mm, 202mm, 222.5mm, 242mm, 253.5mm, 270.5mm, 284.5mm, 292mm, 304.5mm from the nut. Head terminated with a scroll. Five ebony tuning pegs, fairly crudely made and possibly not original.

Overall size: 532.
Body length: 532.
Body width: 74 (maximum body), 56 (scroll).
Body depth: 28 (body), 33 (top and bottom).
String length: 410.

Stamped on the back "I. LAMBERT / FRUILLÉE / DOROTHES / VALDAJOL. VOSGES" in triangular shape.

Repair History: Bridge has broken at approximately the position where the second open string crosses it. Two strings missing. Cracks in soundboard along a line at the top of the frets (towards the centre of the instrument) and from the heart shaped sound hole for a distance of approximately 60. Crack starting at the top of the four leaf clover. Soundboard now is curved, probably due to the cracks.

Illustration references: Vol. 1 p.27.

Classification

Instrument

Epinette des Vosges/Zithers/Strings/Musical Instrument ; Epinette des Vosges

Instrument Family

Strings

Hornbostel Sachs Classification

314.122-6 ; musical instrument