Books › A descriptive catalogue of the musical instruments in the South Kensington museum, preceded by an essay on the history of musical instruments, 1874 › scan 351
Scan 351
A descriptive catalogue of the musical instruments in the South Kensington museum, preceded by an essay on the history of musical instruments, 1874
20 lines. Read by computer on 14 September 2026. Printed page 325. See the scan on archive.org.
1(22.)
2THEORBINO. A small Theorbo. Sixteen strings, six of which run beside the finger-board. English. 17th century.
4(24.)
5GUITARE. The strings, as was often the case, are arranged in pairs tuned in unison. French. 17th century. The work of Voboam, a celebrated lute maker of the time of Louis XIV.
7The bridge on this instrument is a modern substitution, calculated for six strings. The addition of a sixth string on the guitar is comparatively modern, and is said to have originated in Germany about the year 1780. The sixth string which was added was the lowest one, e.
9(25.)
10MACHÊTE. A small guitar with four strings. Portuguese. 18th century.¹
12The machête is still played in Madeira as well as in Portugal, and seems, likewise, to have been formerly occasionally used in England. The tone of the present specimen is remarkably voluminous and sonorous, considering the size of the instrument.
14(26.)
15QUINTERNA, or Chiterna. A species of guitar, somewhat resembling a violin in shape, with three pairs of catgut strings, and two single strings covered with wire. Frets of catgut. Italian. 17th century.²
17Used about two centuries ago, especially in Italy, by the lower orders of musicians and comedians for accompanying their vocal performances.
19¹ See also page 254. ² See also page 247.
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