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Guitar-harp
Mordaunt Levien (French)
about 1825
Object Place: Paris, France
Medium/Technique
Maple, spruce, ebony, ivory, mother-of-pearl, brass, sheep gut, silver
Dimensions
Length 84 cm, width 32.8 cm, depth 14.3 cm (Length 33 1/16 in., width 12 15/16 in., depth 5 5/8 in.)
Credit Line
Museum purchase with funds donated by Bradford M. and Dorothea R. Endicott and an anonymous donor
Accession Number2000.632
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsEurope, Musical Instruments
ClassificationsMusical instruments – Chordophones
DescriptionArched back comprised of three wide ribs of maple, each separated by strips of ebony, with oval soundhole at center. Belly of fine-grained spruce. Multi-line binding of ebony and ivory around edges of belly and encircling soundhole. Separate carved soundhole insert of gilded wood with French royal arms and sunburst pattern. Neck and headstock of ebonized wood; headstock surmounted by gilded face of Apollo on sunburst pattern. Tuning pins of brass. Fingerboard of ebony with twelve frets of ivory. Nut and saddle of ivory. Bridge, bridge pins, and end button of ebony and pearl. Capo and three studs ("pedals") of brass for raising pitch of strings 4, 5, and 6 with thumb. Seven strings. Internal construction: Four lateral braces on belly (one above soundhole).
InscriptionsEngraved on pearl plaque: LEVIEN / Inventeur & Breveté
ProvenanceBy 2000, sold at auction, London, to Tony Bingham, London, England; 2000, sold by Bingham to the MFA. (Accession Date: April 26, 2000)
Pastorale, about 1825
Composed by Mordaunt Levien
Performed by Olav Chris Henriksen