English Guitar
1759 (Made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The English guitar was derived from the cittern, a wire-strung instrument, and widely played by fashionable ladies in the British Isles from about 1750 until 1810. It has six courses, four of double and two of single metal strings, tuned in the key of C. This instrument was made by Edward Dickinson (active 1750 - 1790), who made string instruments, including violins, and traded from 'the Harp and Crown' in the Strand, London.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Planed and joined sycamore back and sides; planed and joined pine soundboard, purfled (bordered) in ink; ebony and ivory inlaid rose; ebony fingerboard with brass frets; inlaid ebony and ivory finial. |
| Brief description | English guitar, sycamore back and sides, E.Dickinson, English, 1759. |
| Physical description | "A small-sized instrument of the usual pear-shaped model. One-piece back of sycamore. Belly with inked purfling lines and a rather simple carved rose. The curved ebony fingerboard has twelve brass frets and three capotasto holes. The pegbox is for the normal six courses and has a square finial with a star pattern of ebony, ivory and a dark browb wood." - Anthony Baines: Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments (London, 1998), p. 49. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | Edward Dickinson/ Maker/ 1759, with crowned harp. (Printed label) |
| Object history | This instrument formed part of the collections of Carl Engel (1818-1882) and was purchased by this museum for £1 - 10 - 0 (£1.50p) in 1882. |
| Summary | The English guitar was derived from the cittern, a wire-strung instrument, and widely played by fashionable ladies in the British Isles from about 1750 until 1810. It has six courses, four of double and two of single metal strings, tuned in the key of C. This instrument was made by Edward Dickinson (active 1750 - 1790), who made string instruments, including violins, and traded from 'the Harp and Crown' in the Strand, London. |
| Bibliographic reference | Anthony Baines: Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments. (London, 1998), p. 49. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 222-1882 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
