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By the time this drum was made, the techology of tuning the timpani had greatly advanced. This drum has a single hand crank that when turned tightens the entire drum head through an ingenious cable system. Cable tuning system of Cornelius Ward 1937 patent. One of a pair, the other being a 22½ inch kettledrum. Purchased with assistance from the Government's Local Museums Purchase Fund, 1984 (Blades Collection).
Kettledrum
George Potter
England
Europe
Aldershot
United Kingdom

Instrument Information

Title

22½-inch kettledrum

Alternative Title

Timpani

Accession Number

2379

Collection

Blades Collection; MIMEd

Date Information

Date Made

Circa 1850

Period

19th century; 1840s; 1850s

Gallery Information

Gallery

Wolfson Gallery

Case

Percussion case 7

Maker Information

Maker Name

George Potter

Maker Biography

George Potter, member of the Potter family of English woodwind instrument makers, established the firm Potter, George, & Co in 1860 with his brother Henry (1810-1876). The firm specialized in military band instruments, and exported many of their flutes and drums to India via ‘The War and India Offices.’ The firm’s mark is a unicorn head above the name Potter.

Made In

City

Aldershot

Country

England

Description

Technical Description

Cavalry drum with copper shell; release hole at bottom of bowl; 3 brass loops for carriage straps; 3 fixed legs. Tuning is by a single handle with spring lever engaging a ratchet and indicating a number on the tuning gauge; tuning handle on side operates a metal shaft with 2 screw threads of opposite sense; two threaded metal cross-pieces mounted on screwed rod, each end of both cross-pieces fitted with a pulley; eight laterally-mounted pulley wheels in frames in the bowl with tangential axles; four circumferential external pulleys with radial axles mounted on exterior of bowl; at each of the eight tensioning points there is a hook which is attached to the outside of the flesh hoop and passes through the skin, with loosely mounted pulley on each hook.

Embossed covers for the 4 pulleys with axles perpendicular to shell are inscribed "BY APPOINTMENT " / lion & unicorn coat of arms / "GEO. POTTER & CO / OF / ALDERSHOT"; other fittings are marked "POTTER / ALDERSHOT / PATENTEES". Tuning gauge inscribed round ratchet, at edge, with numbers 1 to 28; below this with "GEORGE POTTER & COMPANY. MAKERS. ONLY ADDRESS ALDERSHOT."; below this with "PATENTED INSTANTANEOUS SYSTEM OF TUNING.". Handle stamped twice "POTTER / ALDERSHOT". Loops stamped "PATENTEES".

Provenance

Purchased with assistance from the Government's Local Museums Purchase Fund, 1984.

Classification

Instrument

Kettledrum

Instrument Family

Percussion

Hornbostel Sachs Classification

211.11-92 ; musical instrument