Lyre Guitar
This instrument despite its unusual form is a six-string guitar which would have been played much like the guitar in the ordinary form. The two wings which project to the same distance as the neck and head act merely to resemble the supporting pillars of the ancient Greek Lyre. In fact the two projections would have hindered rather than helped the player, the upper wing would obscure the left hand which itself would have been obstructed by the lower wing. (Daniel Wheeldon 2016)
Technical description: Six string guitar; three-piece pine with ebony binding, separate pieces of pine on arm extension above small soundholes; large soundhole diameter of 111 mm with ebony / wbwbwbwbwb binding; 2 smaller soundholes diameter of 43.63 mm with bwb binding; ebony rectangular stepped tie bridge; one-piece mahogany back (section of left side replaced) with ebony binding; veneered light hardwood neck and headstock; figured mahogany veneered fingerboard with 24 brass frets; six friction tuners. (Daniel Wheeldon 2016)
Technical description: Six string guitar; three-piece pine with ebony binding, separate pieces of pine on arm extension above small soundholes; large soundhole diameter of 111 mm with ebony / wbwbwbwbwb binding; 2 smaller soundholes diameter of 43.63 mm with bwb binding; ebony rectangular stepped tie bridge; one-piece mahogany back (section of left side replaced) with ebony binding; veneered light hardwood neck and headstock; figured mahogany veneered fingerboard with 24 brass frets; six friction tuners. (Daniel Wheeldon 2016)
Artwork Details
- Title: Lyre Guitar
- Maker: Gennaro Fabricatore (Italian, Naples ca. 1750–1832 Naples)
- Date: 1807
- Geography: Naples, Italy
- Culture: Italian
- Medium: Spruce, maple, ebony
- Dimensions: Total length 80.7 cm., Max width 37.4 cm., Depth at tail 9.4 cm., Vibrating length 63.5 cm.
- Classification: Chordophone-Lute-plucked-fretted
- Credit Line: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
- Object Number: 89.4.1056
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments
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Gennaro Fabricatore
1808
Gennaro Fabricatore
1802
Giosue Esposito
1881
Johann Anton Stauffer
ca. 1835–40
Jean Baptiste Vuillaume
mid-19th century
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