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Plucked Strings

11.1 - Lute shell | 11.2 - English guitar | 11.3 - Harp lute | 11.4 - Lute guitar

Terminology and Glossary | Cataloguing Standards

Catalogue number:	11.1
Original name:	Lute Body.
Maker:	Raphael Mest.
Place of origin:	Padua, 1627.
Overall size:	Body length: 487mm; body width: 307mm; body depth: 145mm approx.
Technical description:	27 ribs. Strap button possible of ebony on left-hand side (end button missing).
Inscription:	There are a number of makers and repairers labels on the lining as well as other strips of paper with printed text and music manuscript used to line the wood, many of which are not original. “Rap[hael Mest in Fie]ssen, [Imperato] / del Misier Michael Hartung in Pa-/dua me fecit, Anno 162[7]” “Antonius Bachmann / Hoff Instrument und Laut[-]/tenmacherin in Berlin. 1753 / Reparirt.” “Reparient / [?] / T A Matth? / in Berlin [?] / 1822” “Rogers and Priestley me refecerunt / Birmingham 1891.” “Soundboard Removed 1981 / Ronald Taylor / 190 Oxford Street, / Rugby. / Warwickshire. Tel. Pavilion 6285”
General literature:	Sparr.
Repair history:	In the B Index, amended 1977, SD writes Originally by Rachael Hartung of Padua, 1627. A far larger and more complex neck in Baroque Theorbo style was probably added by Antonius Bachmann of Berlin in 1753 (repair label inside body). Other repairs were effected in Germany in 1822, in Birmingham in 1891 (Rodgers & Priestley). The instrument was infested by worm in the late 1950s to early 1960s, as a result of which the Bachman neck broke away from the body at the joint (actually, the block itself came apart, leaving both sections intact). The neck has been retained, and the remarkably well preserved pear also. A report on the feasibility and cost of possible restoration by David Rubio of Duns Tew, Oxon. was made in 1975. In 1981 this work was undertaken by Zachary Taylor.
Illustration references:	See below.
Previous owner:	Messrs A M & Royle A Shore. School of Music Committee members, donated an “Arch Lute of 1628” in July 1895.
Previous catalogue number:	B: Item 1.

Catalogue number:	11.2
Original name:	English Guitar.
Type or system:	9 strings.
Maker:	Michael Rauche.
Place of origin:	London, 1779.
Overall size:	805mm; body width: 307mm; body length: 395mm; body depth: 130mm approx; string length: 526mm.
Technical description:	9 strings. (only three pegs remain). No fret markings on finger-board (suggesting that there were either no frets or that they were made of gut and tied on); evidence of three frets on the sound board. Minimal decoration. 21 ribs. Soundboard cracked. The nut has had some alteration of the grooves of strings and the tail-piece has had additional string holes drilled. Some holes are close together perhaps indicating some strings were double course. Decorative carved pattern around sound-board hole.
Faults:	Sound-board rose missing. Frets missing.
Inscription:	Written in black ink underneath strap button: “1779 Michael Rauches, Stangate Street, Stangate, Surrey”.
Illustration references:	See below.
Previous catalogue number:	B: Probably Item 62.

Catalogue number:	11.3
Original name:	Harp-lute (guitar).
Type or system:	11 strings: 6 + 5 bass.
Maker:	Ward, A.
Place of origin:	Liverpool, c.1830s.
Overall size:	875mm; body length: 445mm; body width: 360mm; body depth: 150mm; string length: 446mm, bass strings: 596mm - 688mm.
Technical description:	Vaulted back of 6 panels; decorative gold sun-burst rose and gold flower on peg-box; gilt decoration on body front, back and side panels, on peg-box support bar and edges of peg-box; 12 ivory or bone frets, ivory or bone bridge; brass pegs and two brass ditals; neck and finger board painted black; small sound hole at the back; small strap button, possibly ebony.
Inscription:	Painted around sound board hole: “WARD” / “LIVERPOOL” / “MAKER”.
Illustration references:	See belwo
Previous owner:	W. H. Spittle. Donated to Birmingham School of Music, 1914.
Previous catalogue number:	B: Item 67.

Catalogue number:	11.4
Original name:	Lute-guitar.
Type or system:	6 string.
Maker:	Barry.
Place of origin:	Liverpool, c.1830s.
Overall size:	758mm; body width: 305mm; body length: 440mm; body depth: 157mm; string length: 449mm.
Technical description:	Vaulted back of 2 curved panels and one flat back panel; gilt decoration on panels, flower decoration painted round the edge of the sound-board and on peg-box; 12 ivory or bone frets; ivory edging around sound-board; ivory button at the top of the peg-box; small sound hole at the back.
Faults:	Pegs missing; strap button missing; sound-board cracked, bottom seam has become detached.
Inscription:	Painted on sound-board next to sound-board hole: “BARRY” / “MAKER”.
Illustration references:	See below.
Previous owner:	W. H. Spittle. Donated to Birmingham School of Music, 1914.
Previous catalogue number:	B: Item 66.