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Grecian Harp: M.9-1941

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An image of Harp
Current Location: In storage

Titles

Grecian Harp

Maker(s)

Sebastian Erard

Entities

Categories

Description

Painted wooden Grecian style harp, with eight brass pedals, leather wrappings, five doors in the sound holes, double action fourchette mechanism on all but the top string, external linkage on lower mechanism, 43 strings E-E, bottom eight strings are wire wound, the rest gut. Brass action plates on each side of the neck. String pegs on all strings; ten are missing. Straight carved column; head of column decorated with gilded plaster in the form of Grecian angels and ferns, gilded ferns at base of column, back feet have gesso scallops and gilded. Griffins (winged dogs?) above front feet which are also scallop shaped (a replacement of the paws), mask and ferns on the front of the pedal box, all gilded. Soundboard unpainted. The rest of the harp is painted brown with gold geometrical highlights.

Notes

History note: Bought new from Erard by Miss Goddard, Cliff House, Nr. Marlborough in August 1826. Repaired by Morley/Erard for J. Armstrong, Esq. 23.10.1919. Purchased by Mrs. Chadwick from J.S. Morley in 1937.

Legal notes

Given by Mrs. Norah K. Chadwick

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1941) by Chadwick, Norah, K., Mrs

Dating

1800s
Production date: AD 1802

Components of the work

To Top Of Column Height 171 cm
Sound Board Width 37 cm
Shoulder To Column Width 77 cm

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: Sebastian Erard/Patent N.3908/18 Great Marlborough Street LONDON
  • Location: On brass action plate by head on left side
  • Method of creation: Engraved
  • Type: Inscription

Inscription present: label

  • Text: Sebastian Erard/Maker/by special appointment to his MAJESTY and the/ROYAL FAMILY
  • Location: On brass action plate by head on right side
  • Method of creation: Engraved
  • Type: Inscription
  • Text: No.8/Concert harp
  • Type: Tie-on label

Identification numbers

Accession number: M.9-1941
Primary reference Number: 77348

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 4 August 2025

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Grecian Harp" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/77348 Accessed: 2025-12-18 02:40:50

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/77348 |title=Grecian Harp |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-18 02:40:50|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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