Bentside Spinet
1771 (Made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
In 1729 Joseph Mahoon (fl.1729-1773) was appointed 'Harpsichord Maker to His Majestie' (King George II, who reigned from 1725 to 1760). Mahoon's keyboard instruments were much sought-after, and a harpsichord with his signature features in the Morning Levee in William Hogarth's moralizing series of paintings The Rake's Progress, 1735, (London, Sir John Soane Museum).
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 3 parts. (Some alternative part names are also shown below)
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| Materials and techniques | Solid mahogany case with sycamore stringing, walnut-veneered nameboard, brass hinges, ivory naturals and ebony sharps covered with strips of ivory on the top, in a pattern known as 'skunk-tail'. |
| Brief description | Bentside spinet, solid mahogany case with sycamore stringing, ebony and ivory 'skunk-tail' sharps, Joseph Mahoon, English, 1771. |
| Physical description | Spinet, with a range of sixty-one notes, GG-g3. The naturals have ivory covers and arcaded fronts, and on the top of the ebony sharps are strips of ivory, in a pattern known as 'skunk-tail'. The case is of solid mahogany, and is cross-banded with sycamore stringing. The nameboard is made up of walnut panels with sycamore stringing. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Joseph Mahoon, London (On the name-board above the keys.) |
| Gallery label | SPINET
English
By Joseph Mahoon, London, 1771
Inscribed Joseph Mahoon, London
The date is on the bottom key.
Ebony sharps with ivory fillets, ivory naturals, mahogany case with sycamore cross-banding. The instrument has sixty-one notes, GG-g3.
Keyboard Catalogue No.: 31
Joseph Mahoon flourished form 1729, when he was appointed "Harpsichord Maker to His Majesty", until 1771, the instrument in the V&A being the last known example to be made. A Mahoon harpsichord can be seen in plate 2 of William Hogarth's Rake's Progress.
383-1907(pre September 2000) |
| Object history | This spinet was purchased by the Museum in 1907, but the price and previous ownership were not recorded. |
| Summary | In 1729 Joseph Mahoon (fl.1729-1773) was appointed 'Harpsichord Maker to His Majestie' (King George II, who reigned from 1725 to 1760). Mahoon's keyboard instruments were much sought-after, and a harpsichord with his signature features in the Morning Levee in William Hogarth's moralizing series of paintings The Rake's Progress, 1735, (London, Sir John Soane Museum). |
| Bibliographic reference | Howard Schott: Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part I: Keyboard instruments. (London, 1998), pp. 87-88. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 383-1907 |
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| Record created | May 16, 2001 |
| Record URL |
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