Harpsichord
Technical description: Typical Italian thin-case construction, made of curly maple, no outer case, crude lid attached to spine, nameboard and jackrail decorated with inlaid ivory and ebony; present compass AA-e3, and earlier compass was AA-f3, may have had split accidentals at one point; single manual, now 2x8', may have been 1x8' earlier, now has buff stop, probably not original; ebony naturals with ivory arcades, ebony accidentals with inlaid ivory, three-rail keyframe, keys guided by wooden slips in rack; pear or fruitwood jacks with beech tongues, quill springs, quill plectra, single flag dampers, box registers moved by grasping small ivory knobs, but no levers are present; soundboard has three elaborate multi-layered parchment roses. (Douglas Maple 1983)
Artwork Details
- Title: Harpsichord
- Date: mid 17th century
- Geography: probably Naples, Italy
- Culture: Italian
- Medium: wood, various materials
- Dimensions:
Inner Instrument
L. 195.2 cm 76.85 in.
W. 85.9 33.82
D. 21.6 8.50 - Classifications: Chordophone-Zither-plucked-harpsichord, Paintings
- Credit Line: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
- Object Number: 89.4.1231
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments
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