The evident configuration is not unlike the 5- to 7-course leuti of the mid 18th c. we've been discussing here (by the likes of Radice, Presbler, etc.). However, most of the pieces by that era seem to be in seven courses. The profile of the shell doesn't quite seem to fit my expectations for that paradigm either. It does look to me as though there is a possible neck graft near the soundbox of the instrument. Also, the bas relief chip carving in the back of the pegbox does not look like anything I would expect of a mid-18th-c. Italian instrument of this type; that looks more like what I would expect of a late 19th- to early 20th-c. German laute/guitar-lute /whatever. I also wouldn't expect too many builders in Hamburg to have concerned themselves with making Italianate "mandola" in the mid 18th c. Without more evidence, I would be inclined to go along with Martyn's initial speculation.
Eugene > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of Martyn Hodgson > Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2011 3:07 AM > To: Stuart Walsh > Cc: Lute Dmth > Subject: [LUTE] Re: RV93 - OT... what's this? > > > Hello Stuart, > > Well, you asked for a punt and here's mine: I suggest it is a 6 > course mandora (gallichon) > converted to a guitar by shortening the neck (from, say 68/69cm) to > bring the string length in line with early 19th century guitars (ie > 62/63cm). We certainly know that many'baroque, guitars were converted > and I am aware of at least 21 other mid-18th century mandoras converted > to guitars (tho' this is the first Hamburg example I've seen). But I'd > like data on sizes to be certain > > Martyn > .--- On Wed, 5/1/11, Stuart Walsh <[email protected]> wrote: > > From: Stuart Walsh <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [LUTE] RV93 - OT... what's this? > To: "Martyn Hodgson" <[email protected]> > Cc: "Lute Dmth" <[email protected]> > Date: Wednesday, 5 January, 2011, 22:30 > > On 04/01/2011 09:39, Martyn Hodgson wrote: > > > > > > It is much more likely that the instrument required is the 18th > > century Italian 'leuto'...... The general size of these > instruments can be deduced > > from contemporary iconography and there are good early/mid 18th > century > > Italian paintings showing lutes being played (often just 7 course > > instruments - perhaps even old lutes?) suggesting string lengths > close > > to old G lutes (ie generally low/mid 60s cm). A number of these > > instruments survive in modern collections and often in a pristine > state > > by makers such as Radice.... > > > There are some unusual/untypical 18thC 'lutes' in collections and > museums...lutes with with far fewer courses than the German 13-course > brutes. Perhaps there are three possibilities: 1)mandora/gallichon 2) > leuto 3) fake? > How about this in the National Library of Scotland? It's from Hamburg, > 1758, so it can't be a leuto. But the neck is presumably too short for > a mandora? > The museum describes it, improbably, as a six-course mandola (a bass > mandolin!). > [1]http://www.pluckedturkeys.co.uk/leuto/note.jpg > Unfortunately, only the back of the instrument is visible: > [2]http://www.pluckedturkeys.co.uk/leuto/1.jpg > [3]http://www.pluckedturkeys.co.uk/leuto/2.jpg > [4]http://www.pluckedturkeys.co.uk/leuto/3.jpg > Stuart > > -- > > References > > 1. http://www.pluckedturkeys.co.uk/leuto/note.jpg > 2. http://www.pluckedturkeys.co.uk/leuto/1.jpg > 3. http://www.pluckedturkeys.co.uk/leuto/2.jpg > 4. http://www.pluckedturkeys.co.uk/leuto/3.jpg > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
