Scan 7
Musical instruments in the South Kensington Museum, 1869
46 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1List of Photographs.
3(b). STREICH-ZITHER. Germany. A small instrument, three-stringed, and played with a bow. A modern invention. In a case. The body is of rosewood, inlaid with ivory. The strings are of metal. Made by Max Amberger, in Munich.
4Bought. From the Bavarian Department of the Paris Exhibition of 1867. Price, 90 f.
6XII.
7VIOLA DI BARDONE, also called viola di bordone and baryton. The finger-board is carved in open fret-work terminating in three lions' heads. Above the bridge are two figures of negroes, carved and gilt. At one side of the finger-board is the inscription: "Joachim Tielke in Hamburg, fecit, Anno 1686." Length, 4 ft. 6 in.
8Purchased. From Bauer, in Paris. Price, £40.
10This instrument has six strings of catgut, which are tuned by means of wooden pegs, and are played with a bow; and beneath these it has twenty-two metal strings, which serve as sympathetic strings, and which are wound round iron tuning-pegs situate near the top of the neck; and they run down, partly under the finger-board and partly at its side, extending to the bridge, where they are fastened to little pins placed in an oblique line beneath the bridge. The body of the instrument has at each side two indentations, and is flat at the back. The two sound-holes are remarkable for their old-fashioned figure.
11The viola di bardone was often mounted with seven catgut strings, instead of six. The number of metal strings likewise varied. Some old writers mention from sixteen to twenty, and others as many as forty-four.
13XIII.
14VIRGINAL. In ebony, enriched with appliqué open-work tracery in silver. German work, circa 1600. Length, 1 ft. 6 1/2 in.; width, 11 in.
15Bought. Price, £44.
17The instrument has metal strings, one for each tone, which are twanged by means of small portions of quill, attached to slips of wood called "jacks," and provided with thin metal springs. Its construction is therefore similar to that of the spinet and harpsichord.
19XIV.
20SPINET. Italy. Of wood and ivory, ornamented with jasper, agate, and other decorative stones; and set with lapis-lazuli, pearls, garnets, &c. Made by Annibale dei Rossi, of Milan, 1577. Length in front, 4 ft. 9 1/2 in.
21Bought. From Madame Clapisson, Paris, 1867. Price, 30,000 f.
23This spinet in shape resembles the dulcimer. It is open at the top, instead of being covered with a lid. It has a round and ornamented sound-hole in the middle of the sound-board. There is only one string for each tone. The compass embraces four octaves and a semi-tone. Over the key-board is the inscription:—"Annibalis de Roxis Mediolanensis, MDLXXVII."
25XV.
26CLAVICEMBALO. Italy (English, harpsichord; German, flügel; French, clavecin). The exterior of the case is painted with flowers, and the interior with subject of Apollo and the Muses, and with rich arabesque ornamentation. Signed—"Antonius Baffo, Venetus, 1523." Length, 7 ft. 4 in.; width, 3 ft.; depth, 9 1/2 in.
27Bought. Price, £10.
29XVI.
30SERINETTE (Bird Organ). Beech wood veneered with satin wood and inlaid with marquetry of coloured woods representing musical instruments and foliage. Mounted in gilt metal. French, eighteenth century. Height, 8 1/2 in.; length, 11 1/2 in.; width, 9 in.
31Bought. Price, £50.
33The serinette was formerly used in France by ladies to teach airs to little singing birds, especially to a kind of siskin, or canary, called in French serin, hence the name of the instrument.
35XVII.
36ORGAN POSITIVE. A chamber organ. German, sixteenth century. In wooden case, carved, painted, and gilt, in renaissance style. On the inside of the shutters are painted in tempera the "Dismissal of Hagar" and the "Sacrifice of Abraham"; and above the pipes, an openwork ornamented with a medallion portrait and shield of John George Duke of Saxony. The pipes are made of paper; with three stops. Height, 3 ft. 9 1/2 in.; width, 2 ft. 3 1/2 in.
37Bought. Price, £40.
39The organ positive is distinguished from the organ portative in so far that the former was a larger instrument, generally placed on a table, and blown by an attendant, while the latter was carried about by the performer in religious processions and on such like occasions. The regal, often mentioned in English literature of the time of Shakespeare, and earlier, was a small organ portative.
41XVIII.
42VIOLIN. Boxwood, carved with woodland scenes. English; dated 1578.
43Lent by the Earl of Warwick.
45This violin is said to have been given by Queen Elizabeth to the Earl of Leicester, and the arms of both of these personages are engraven on silver on the finger-board. The instrument is mentioned by Hawkins and also by Burney. The former gives a drawing of it in his "History of Music," London, 1776, vol. iv. p. 342. He says:—"At a sale by auction of the late Duke of Dorset's effects a violin was bought, appearing to have been made in the year 1578, which, though of a very singular form, and encumbered with a profusion of carving, was essentially the very same instrument with the four-stringed violin. The dimensions of the instrument are as follows: From the extremity of the tail-pin to the dragon's head, 2 ft.; length of the belly, 13 in. Over the pins is a silver gilt plate, that turns upon a hinge, and opens from the nut downwards; thereon are engraved the arms of England, and under them, encircled by a garter with the usual motto, the bear and ragged staff, and
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