Pipe and Tabor thumbnail 1
Pipe and Tabor thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Pipe and Tabor

about 1820 (Made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The pipe and tabor were widely used in medieval dance music and later by morris dancers. The musician usually played the pipe with his left hand and the tabor, a type of drum, with his right. This pipe and tabor originally belonged to John Seymour Lucas RA (1843 - 1923), a historical painter, who probably intended to use them as an artist's prop.


Object details

Category
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 5 parts.

  • Pipe and Tabor
  • Staff
  • Morris Costume
  • Pipe
  • Stick
Materials and techniques
turned stained boxwood pipe and drum-stick; stretched hides, pine rims and brass shell to tabor.
Brief description
Pipe and tabor, English, stained boxwood pipe and stick, and drum with brass shell, Falkner & Christmas, about 1850.
Physical description
"The Pipe is of stained boxwood, in two joints, with two fingerholes and one thumbhole. Pitch C. The tabor is a shallow side drum with a brass shell ... It is accompanied by its drumstick". Anthony Baines,Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments (London, 1998), p. 90.
Dimensions
  • Pipe (total) length: 28.5cm (Note: Taken from Anthony Baines: Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments. (London, 1998), p. 90.)
  • Drum stick length: 23.5cm (Note: Taken from Anthony Baines: Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments. (London, 1998), p. 90.)
  • Diameter of tabor diameter: 28.5cm (Note: Taken from Anthony Baines: Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments. (London, 1998), p. 90.)
  • Length: 27.5in (Staff) (Note: Taken from Accession Register)
  • Diameter: 1in (Staff) (Note: Taken from Accession Register)
Marks and inscriptions
Falkner & Christmas No. 9, Pall Mall London (Stamped on the pipe)
Gallery label
PIPE AND TABOR London; about 1850 The pipe is stamped Falkner & Christmas No. 9, Pall Mall, London. Stained boxwood pipe. Non-Keyboard Catalogue No.: 21/7 The pipe and tabor were widely used for dance music during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The pipe was played with the left hand and the drum with the right. These instruments were probably used as a toy. 1563-1902(pre September 2000)
Credit line
Given to the Museum by John Seymour Lucas RA
Object history
This instrument was given to the musem in 1902, by Seymour Lucas RA (1843-1932), a histoircal painter.
Summary
The pipe and tabor were widely used in medieval dance music and later by morris dancers. The musician usually played the pipe with his left hand and the tabor, a type of drum, with his right. This pipe and tabor originally belonged to John Seymour Lucas RA (1843 - 1923), a historical painter, who probably intended to use them as an artist's prop.
Bibliographic reference
Anthony Baines: Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments.<.i> (London, 1998), p. 90
Collection
Accession number
1563-1902

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

Record createdMay 16, 2001
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest