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Organology: Harp Guitar "Relatives" Note to the casual reader or researcher: This Reference Gallery features historical instruments that are not harp guitars, but “relatives” or distant “cousins” – presented on Harpguitars.net for historical and organological comparison.
Mixed Family Hybrids & Other Related Forms Non-family specific instruments similar or related to harp guitars. Many can be considered "hybrids" or "one-offs." See bottom of page for image copyright information |
French
5/07: Additional information on the bissex coming shortly.
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| Naderman (Jean-Henri) bissex, Paris, 1773 | Thiphanon (Jean-François) bissex, Paris, 1780 | Caron Guitare decacorde, 1784 |
| Swedish This first group of instruments include what I classify as "true Swedish lutes." Following below are what I term "false Swedish lutes." While many scholars are aware of and discuss the differences, many lump the two indiscriminately together, as do some modern makers who reproduce both instruments. The true Swedish lute is a12 to 15-course instrument strung in gut, with 8 strings on the neck (sometimes doubling the 3 high strings) and 4, 5 or 7 open bass strings. The tuning, developed from the English guitar, was an "open" chord on top with descending basses, much like the Light harp-lutes. Note that I therefore do not include these makers in the Encyclopedia, but that I do include makers of "false Swedish lutes," which share the harp guitar's configuration, tuning and playing technique (and were often made and marketed side by side by various shops). This group of exquisite, rare photos comes from the Stockholm Music Museum. |
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| Kraft, Mathias Petter, Stockholm, Sweden | |||
| 177x (8+4, 3 neck strings doubled) | 1790 (8+5) | 1792 (8+4) | 1794 (8+7) |
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| Johan Jerner, Stockholm, Sweden | |||
| 1791 (8+5) | 1792 (8+5) | 1797 (8+7 | 1808 (8+7) |
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| Anders Odendahl, Stockholm?, Sweden, 1812 (8+7) |
Erik Ryberg,
Uddevalla, Sweden, 181[1?] (8+7) |
Lorens
Mollenberg, Stockholm, Sweden, 1815 (8+7) |
Unknown, Stockholm?,
Sweden, 1800s (8+7) |
| German,
Swedish,
Danish Here are the endless varieties of what I classify as either "theorboed guitar-lutes" or "false Swedish lutes" - depending (generally) on the body shape (regardless of country of origin). Originally, the former were (and still are) called "bass-lutes" (Germany), while the latter were/are known as Nordic bass-lutes (Germany) or Swedish lutes or Scholander-lutes (Sweden: named after its most famous player [see Iconography: Harp Guitar Relatives]). As stated above, the "true" Swedish lute from a century earlier (above) was a somewhat different instrument (see Organology Part I). Instruments in this first group are basically all similar theorboed versions of the "guitar-lutes" that were very common from 1890-1920. They are as close to a true harp guitar as you can get, and were played by guitar players exactly like harp guitars. All have a standard 6-string guitar neck and generally 4 or 6 sub-basses. The body is of standard lute shape. Not just a wandering minstrel's "folk" instrument, many were built by the finest guitar makers and played by well-known guitarists. |
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| Adolf Paulus, 1924 | Unknown | Hermann Hauser, Munich 1924 | Hermann Hauser, 1931 | Heinrich Fuchs, 1920s | Halbmeyer, 1904 | Halbmeyer,
Munich, 1909 (spelled Halbmaier on label) |
J. H. Zimmerman, Liepzig, 1900s |
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| Gotz (or Goetz?) | Paul Kochendörfer, 1923 | Schuster Brothers (Gebrüder Schuster) Markneukirchen, 1920s | C. A. Wunderlich, Siebenbrunn (near Markneukirchen), 1938 | Sinfonia, Markneukirchen | Gunter Penzel, Markneukirchen, new | Steffen Gläsel, Markneukirchen, 1999 | A.
Höllinger, Kiel, Germany |
| Instruments in this second group follow the body shape of the "true" Swedish lute. |
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| "Swedish Lute" patent, date? | Zimmermann, Leipzig, 1899 | J. H. Zimmerman, Liepzig, 1900s | K. Meinel-Bartfritz, 1900 | Alfred Brock, Stockholm, Sweden, 1910 | Alfred Brock,
Stockholm, Sweden, 1920 (6+2) |
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| Hans Raab, Munich, 1910 | H. Levin, 1923 | Paesold, Bohemia, pre-1918 | Schuster Brothers (Gebrüder Schuster) Markneukirchen, 1920s | Bo Wretling, Stockholm, Sweden, 1947 | "Crafton" brand, Gothenburg, Sweden, c.1950 | Levin, Gothenburg, Sweden, 1952 |
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| Wilhelm Kruse | Goldklang | Unknown | Sällskapet Svenska Lutan. 2005 |
| This third group consists of Danish theorboed guitar-lutes,
which closely follow the Swedish lute shape. Note the similarity and consistency of style
of these first five Copenhagen makers. The first 4 images are from the book Danish Guitars and Their Makers by Kenneth Brogger. |
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| Peder Stochholm, c.1910 | Thorvald Lund, c.1925 | Thorvald Lund, 1924 | Johannes Moller, 1925 | J.R. Rieche | Einar Willadsen, Copenhagen, 1898 |
| These strange theorboed guitar-lutes have bass extensions used on harp guitars, rather than the typical "bass-lute" configuration. |
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| Unknown
The pear shape, lute back and bridge belong to the guitar-lute family. The headstocks, tuners and soundhole are pure harp guitar! |
Herman Carlson Levin, 1927, Gothenburg, Sweden | J. Tielke | Unknown
This strange instrument appears to be a German guitar-lute combined with the floating fingerboard concept of Pacquet's 1784 arpi-guitare - with a theorboed headstock for two sub-basses yet! |
Unknown
In the expanded image, one can see the lute back of this very strange double-neck instrument. The headstocks and tuners also beggar description. |
Johann
Lührs Rüstringen, Oldenburg Nov 6, 1920 Patent # 346,447 |
Russian
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| kobza-bandura hybrid | kobza-bandura hybrid, 20th century | torban, 19th century | torban |
Misc.
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Boothe "sirelin,"
1928, |
Arling Shaeffer, Chicago, 1912 "Contra Bass Lute" A theorboed version of a strange large-bodied bowl-back gut strung guitar Shaeffer called the "Eqyptian Lute" with his unique tuners. |
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