Scan 189
Catalogue of the Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments, 1918
23 lines. Read by computer on 29 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
11087. CITTERN (Fr. Cistre; Ital. Cetera; Ger. Cister) ……. England
2Flat, pear-shaped body. Ornamental rose of brass, representing David with his harp. Four pairs of wire strings and two single strings. Circa 1800. Length, 70.5 cm. Width, 31.5 cm. Depth, 8 cm.
3Signed—"Preston, London."
4The Cittern enjoyed a great vogue in England during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, but after the Peninsular War it was supplanted by the Guitar. Allusions to it are frequent in English literature.
61088. CHITARRA BATTENTE (Fr. Guitare toscana, Guitare en bateau) ……………………. Italy
7Deep body decorated with inlaid scroll work. Five pairs of wire strings. Ten varieties exist, exemplifying modifications in stringing and, occasionally, in the manner of performance, as the Chitarra coll'arco, which is bowed.
8Length, 70 cm. Width, 17.5 cm. Depth, 12.5 cm.
101089. CHITARRA BATTENTE ……………………. Bohemia
11Deep body, beautifully inlaid with ivory, as is also the neck. Six strings. Length, 81 cm. Width, 20 cm. Depth, 10 cm.
12Signed—"Andreas Off, in Prag, 1658."
141090. CHITARRA BATTENTE ……………………. Italy
15Deep body, beautifully inlaid with mother-of-pearl. Five pairs of wire strings. Length, 90 cm. Width, 28 cm. Depth, 18 cm.
16Nos. 1089 and 1090 are among the choicest treasures in the Collection.
181091. QUINTERNE. Flat pyriform body. Five pairs of wire strings. Reproduction of an instrument, signed—"Joachim Tielke, Hamburg, 1676," by Lyon and Healy, and presented by them to the University. Length, 76.5 cm.; of body, 37.5 cm.; width, 35.5 cm.; depth, 2.7 to 8 cm. ……………………. Germany
201092. CETERA. Italian cittern ……………………. Italy
21The pear-shaped body is flat. The neck terminates in a carved head, representing Diana, and, on the back, two cherubs supporting a satyr's mask. From ornamental ivory peg-heads, 4 wire and 3 gut strings lead over 19 metal frets. A reproduction of an instrument made by Antonius Stradivarius, Cremona, Italy, in 1700, by Lyon and Healy, Chicago, and presented by them to the University, it exhibits the graceful form and delicate workmanship characteristic of the great Italian violin-maker. The cetera was used by the Italian improvvisatori.
22Length, 96. cm.; of body, 48.5 cm.; width, 50.5 cm.; depth, 7 to 9.2 cm.
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