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Harpsichord
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English,
18th century
Jacob Kirkman
London
,
1769
Classification: Chordophone
Credit Line: Morris Steinert Collection
Accession Number: 4861.1900
Department: Yale Collection of Musical Instruments
Description
Two-manual harpsichord. The case is of mahogany with a pine bottom and an oak wrestplank. The cheekpiece and the bentside are outlined with veneer of a lighter wood. The keywell is veneered with mahogany and burl walnut veener outlined with strip marquetry. The rear section of the lid, along the bentside, is hinged to permit a nag's head swell. The hinges, stop knobs, and lock are of brass. The instrument is supporter by two square-legged trestles of mahogany linked by a single lengthwise stretcher.
The compass of the keyboards is five octaves, plus one note: FF to f''', with the low FF# omitted. There are three choirs of strings: two at 8-foot pitch and one at 4-foot pitch. There are four sets of jacks: the upper manual controls a down-looking cut-through 8-foot lute register and a down-looking dogleg 8-foot register; the lower manual controls the same down-looking 8-foot register, an up-looking 8-foot register and a down-looking 4-foot register. There is no manual coupler. The fruitwood jacks, voiced in quill, appear to be original. The natural keys are covered with ivory with moulded fronts; the sharp keys are of ebony. The instrument is equipped with a buff (mute) stop and a machine coupler. The stop knobs are grouped three at the left of the nameboard and two at the right. Left to right they: 1) activate the buff stop; 2) activate the lute stop; 3) activate the 4-foot register on lower manual; 4) activate the front 8-foot register on both upper and lower manual; 5) activate the back 8-foot register on the lower manual. The left pedal activates the machine stop; the right pedal raises the nag's head swell.
The compass of the keyboards is five octaves, plus one note: FF to f''', with the low FF# omitted. There are three choirs of strings: two at 8-foot pitch and one at 4-foot pitch. There are four sets of jacks: the upper manual controls a down-looking cut-through 8-foot lute register and a down-looking dogleg 8-foot register; the lower manual controls the same down-looking 8-foot register, an up-looking 8-foot register and a down-looking 4-foot register. There is no manual coupler. The fruitwood jacks, voiced in quill, appear to be original. The natural keys are covered with ivory with moulded fronts; the sharp keys are of ebony. The instrument is equipped with a buff (mute) stop and a machine coupler. The stop knobs are grouped three at the left of the nameboard and two at the right. Left to right they: 1) activate the buff stop; 2) activate the lute stop; 3) activate the 4-foot register on lower manual; 4) activate the front 8-foot register on both upper and lower manual; 5) activate the back 8-foot register on the lower manual. The left pedal activates the machine stop; the right pedal raises the nag's head swell.
Inscriptions
Inscribed on the keyslip: "Jacobus Kirckman Londini fecit 1769"; a metal rose is set into the soundboard bearing the initials: "IK".
Dimensions
Overall length: 232.4 cm, Overall width: 93.0 cm, Depth of case: 32.4 cm
Harpsichord
Description
Two-manual harpsichord. The case is of mahogany with a pine bottom and an oak wrestplank. The cheekpiece and the bentside are outlined with veneer of a lighter wood. The keywell is veneered with mahogany and burl walnut veener outlined with strip marquetry. The rear section of the lid, along the bentside, is hinged to permit a nag's head swell. The hinges, stop knobs, and lock are of brass. The instrument is supporter by two square-legged trestles of mahogany linked by a single lengthwise stretcher.
The compass of the keyboards is five octaves, plus one note: FF to f''', with the low FF# omitted. There are three choirs of strings: two at 8-foot pitch and one at 4-foot pitch. There are four sets of jacks: the upper manual controls a down-looking cut-through 8-foot lute register and a down-looking dogleg 8-foot register; the lower manual controls the same down-looking 8-foot register, an up-looking 8-foot register and a down-looking 4-foot register. There is no manual coupler. The fruitwood jacks, voiced in quill, appear to be original. The natural keys are covered with ivory with moulded fronts; the sharp keys are of ebony. The instrument is equipped with a buff (mute) stop and a machine coupler. The stop knobs are grouped three at the left of the nameboard and two at the right. Left to right they: 1) activate the buff stop; 2) activate the lute stop; 3) activate the 4-foot register on lower manual; 4) activate the front 8-foot register on both upper and lower manual; 5) activate the back 8-foot register on the lower manual. The left pedal activates the machine stop; the right pedal raises the nag's head swell.
The compass of the keyboards is five octaves, plus one note: FF to f''', with the low FF# omitted. There are three choirs of strings: two at 8-foot pitch and one at 4-foot pitch. There are four sets of jacks: the upper manual controls a down-looking cut-through 8-foot lute register and a down-looking dogleg 8-foot register; the lower manual controls the same down-looking 8-foot register, an up-looking 8-foot register and a down-looking 4-foot register. There is no manual coupler. The fruitwood jacks, voiced in quill, appear to be original. The natural keys are covered with ivory with moulded fronts; the sharp keys are of ebony. The instrument is equipped with a buff (mute) stop and a machine coupler. The stop knobs are grouped three at the left of the nameboard and two at the right. Left to right they: 1) activate the buff stop; 2) activate the lute stop; 3) activate the 4-foot register on lower manual; 4) activate the front 8-foot register on both upper and lower manual; 5) activate the back 8-foot register on the lower manual. The left pedal activates the machine stop; the right pedal raises the nag's head swell.
Inscriptions
Inscribed on the keyslip: "Jacobus Kirckman Londini fecit 1769"; a metal rose is set into the soundboard bearing the initials: "IK".
Dimensions
Overall length: 232.4 cm, Overall width: 93.0 cm, Depth of case: 32.4 cm
English,
18th century
Jacob Kirkman
London
,
1769
Classification: Chordophone
Credit Line: Morris Steinert Collection
Accession Number: 4861.1900
Department: Yale Collection of Musical Instruments
Description
Two-manual harpsichord. The case is of mahogany with a pine bottom and an oak wrestplank. The cheekpiece and the bentside are outlined with veneer of a lighter wood. The keywell is veneered with mahogany and burl walnut veener outlined with strip marquetry. The rear section of the lid, along the bentside, is hinged to permit a nag's head swell. The hinges, stop knobs, and lock are of brass. The instrument is supporter by two square-legged trestles of mahogany linked by a single lengthwise stretcher.
The compass of the keyboards is five octaves, plus one note: FF to f''', with the low FF# omitted. There are three choirs of strings: two at 8-foot pitch and one at 4-foot pitch. There are four sets of jacks: the upper manual controls a down-looking cut-through 8-foot lute register and a down-looking dogleg 8-foot register; the lower manual controls the same down-looking 8-foot register, an up-looking 8-foot register and a down-looking 4-foot register. There is no manual coupler. The fruitwood jacks, voiced in quill, appear to be original. The natural keys are covered with ivory with moulded fronts; the sharp keys are of ebony. The instrument is equipped with a buff (mute) stop and a machine coupler. The stop knobs are grouped three at the left of the nameboard and two at the right. Left to right they: 1) activate the buff stop; 2) activate the lute stop; 3) activate the 4-foot register on lower manual; 4) activate the front 8-foot register on both upper and lower manual; 5) activate the back 8-foot register on the lower manual. The left pedal activates the machine stop; the right pedal raises the nag's head swell.
The compass of the keyboards is five octaves, plus one note: FF to f''', with the low FF# omitted. There are three choirs of strings: two at 8-foot pitch and one at 4-foot pitch. There are four sets of jacks: the upper manual controls a down-looking cut-through 8-foot lute register and a down-looking dogleg 8-foot register; the lower manual controls the same down-looking 8-foot register, an up-looking 8-foot register and a down-looking 4-foot register. There is no manual coupler. The fruitwood jacks, voiced in quill, appear to be original. The natural keys are covered with ivory with moulded fronts; the sharp keys are of ebony. The instrument is equipped with a buff (mute) stop and a machine coupler. The stop knobs are grouped three at the left of the nameboard and two at the right. Left to right they: 1) activate the buff stop; 2) activate the lute stop; 3) activate the 4-foot register on lower manual; 4) activate the front 8-foot register on both upper and lower manual; 5) activate the back 8-foot register on the lower manual. The left pedal activates the machine stop; the right pedal raises the nag's head swell.
Inscriptions
Inscribed on the keyslip: "Jacobus Kirckman Londini fecit 1769"; a metal rose is set into the soundboard bearing the initials: "IK".
Dimensions
Overall length: 232.4 cm, Overall width: 93.0 cm, Depth of case: 32.4 cm