I was going to send this to the lute-list first, but being as I'm here; what do guys make of this instrument?
http://www.TheCipher.com/Chitarra_BPeruzzi_Ita_1505.jpg the larger context fresco . . http://www.TheCipher.com/vihuela-de-arco_Peruzzi-Baldassare_Coronation_full_ c1505_deta.jpg This is c.1505, Italian, detail from a fresco by Baldassare Peruzzi, "Coronation of the Virgin", located in the Church of San Peitro, Montorio, Rome. The sides appear (to me) fairly clearly to be discrete, flat, square-shouldered front and back, flat-back presumed (by me). But, the _S-holes_ (surrounding a small centrally-located open round sound-hole) on the top face really make the instrument stand out as being unusual, decidedly not lute-like (in this regard). Given it's tear-drop or lute shape, presumed flat back, etc, I thought this might be an elusive early Italian "Chitarra" -- hence possible precursor candidate to the later bass-chitarra or chitarrone (theorbo)? But it might-could be one of your class of instrument as well, i.e. a wire-strung something or other. Whatever it is it's a rare bird. So I guess you have first-dibs -- or at least claim-rights probably as good as anyone else's ;-) Roger To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
