Bentside Spinet
Less than a dozen bentside spinets have been identified with this maker. Queen Anne owned one of Haward's virginals and Samuel Pepys noted in his diary that he "did there like of a little espinette".
Technical description: Double bentside walnut case, deal spine veneered with walnut; on stand of three turned legs; GG/BB-d3, ebony naturals, fronts of key levers stained black, accidentals of solid ivory, two-rail key frame with overhead dip rail, keys guided by wooden slips in rack; jacks guided by punched leather strips above oversize slots in the soundboard and lower guide, simple parchment rose in soundboard. (Douglas Maple 1983)
Technical description: Double bentside walnut case, deal spine veneered with walnut; on stand of three turned legs; GG/BB-d3, ebony naturals, fronts of key levers stained black, accidentals of solid ivory, two-rail key frame with overhead dip rail, keys guided by wooden slips in rack; jacks guided by punched leather strips above oversize slots in the soundboard and lower guide, simple parchment rose in soundboard. (Douglas Maple 1983)
Artwork Details
- Title: Bentside Spinet
- Maker: Charles Haward (British, London active ca. 1660–89)
- Date: 1684
- Geography: London, England, United Kingdom
- Culture: British
- Medium: Wood and various materials
- Dimensions: Spine: 139.1 cm (54-3/4 in.)
Widest point perpendicular to spine: 57 cm (22-7/16 in.)
Depth: 19.1 cm (7-1/2 in.) - Classification: Chordophone-Zither-plucked-harpsichord
- Credit Line: Gift of Joseph W. Drexel, 1889
- Object Number: 89.2.163
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments
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