Clavichord
ca. 1780 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The clavichord is a soft-sounding keyboard instrument, the strings of which are struck with blades rather than hammers (as used on a piano). This instrument is fitted with ebony naturals and ivory-topped sharps, a characteristic of certain square pianos made in England from about 1770. However, the English tended to import their clavichords from Hamburg in Germany at this time. Peter Hicks, the maker of this instrument, remains virtually unknown, and this is the only clavichord known to have been made in England during the 18th century.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Planed and joined mahogany case with inlaid satinwood nameboard and planed spruce soundboard. |
| Brief description | English(?) clavichord, solid mahogany case, ebony-covered naturals, ivory-topped sharps, Peter Hicks, about 1780 |
| Physical description | Clavichord with rectangular solid mahogany case, spruce soundboard, ebony-covered naturals and ivory-topped sharps. The maker's signature is painted on an inlaid satinwood strip above the keys. The spruce soundboard has a crude rose, formed from a circle surrounded by six small holes. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Peter Hicks Fecit (Painted on the inlaid satinwood nameboard.)
|
| Gallery label | CLAVICHORD
Possibly English; about 1790
Inscribed Peter Hicks fecit
The case is mahogany and the soundboard spruce. The instrument has sharps of ebony topped with ivory and the naturals are covered with ivory and fronted with boxwood. The instrument's range is C -d3.
Keyboard Catalogue No.: 34
Peter Hicks is otherwise unknown. Most clavichords in England of the 1700s were imported from Hamburg. If this clavichord is English then it is a great rarity. It would seem that the instrument has been restored by an amateur.
W.7-1917
Given to this Museum by Dr. Thomas Lea Southgate.(pre September 2000) |
| Credit line | Given by Dr Thomas Lea Southgate |
| Object history | This instrument was bequeathed to the Museum by Dr Thomas Lea Southgate of Upper Northwood, Surrey. He bought it in 1892 from John Gillis of Cardiff. |
| Production | Peter Hicks is an otherwise unrecorded maker, who was most probably English. This instrument is the only clavichord known to have been made in England during the 18th century. |
| Summary | The clavichord is a soft-sounding keyboard instrument, the strings of which are struck with blades rather than hammers (as used on a piano). This instrument is fitted with ebony naturals and ivory-topped sharps, a characteristic of certain square pianos made in England from about 1770. However, the English tended to import their clavichords from Hamburg in Germany at this time. Peter Hicks, the maker of this instrument, remains virtually unknown, and this is the only clavichord known to have been made in England during the 18th century. |
| Bibliographic reference | Howard Schott: Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part I: Keyboard instruments. (London, 1998), pp. 94 - 95.
Knights, Francis: ‘The Peter Hicks Clavichord in the Victoria and Albert Museum’ Clavichord International, Vol 25 No.1. May 2021 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.7:1,2-1917 |
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| Record created | May 16, 2001 |
| Record URL |
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