Harp-lute

Description

Harp-lute with ten 'harp' strings and six 'lute' strings. Body of simplified lute-form without pedestal; sixteen strings. Simulated rosewood and gilt finish on whole instrument. Coniferous front with slight transverse arching; wide Grecian acanthus scrolling border; painted false soundhole with rose of eight-pointed sunburst in vine-leaf border. Rest of instrument probably beech. Back of flattened semicircular transverse section; two rectangular 'harp' soundholes in central back stave. Pin-bridge with saddle. Fluted column on bass side. Relic of endpin in hole at tail. Simple spring-returned dital thumb-keys on neck lift the strings so that they are stopped against individual brass stirrup-form nuts above the string. To shorten the string-length there are also some rotating rings which cannot be adjusted while playing. Square-headed brass tuning pins; all mechanism of brass.