Anyone know any history of my harp?- very strange

Log in to your Harp Column account to post or reply in the forums. If you don’t have an account yet, you’ll need to email us to set one up.

This topic has 32 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 5 months ago by angie-kelly–2.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 33 total)

1 2 3 →

Author

Posts
October 6, 2013 at 7:52 pm #77470

leon-ducommun-dit-verron
Participant

Bought a harp purely for decoration but found it’s totally playable and I have been learning to play it. All I know is it’s from around 1900 and is made by j Geo morley . The ad said ‘ 47 string antique harp’ but the strange thing is that it has 48 strings. Didn’t think they came with 48 strings?? It’s very big and very loud. I would appreciate any more information anyone might have .

October 6, 2013 at 8:41 pm #77471

Tacye
Participant

Morleys are still in the harp business and have some historical information on their website http://www.morleyharps.co.uk/

I don’t know of any harps other than Morleys which have the top A.

October 7, 2013 at 12:02 am #77472

Sylvia
Participant

Leon, can you put a picture of it here?

October 7, 2013 at 2:22 am #77473

leon-ducommun-dit-verron
Participant

I have tried to put a pic on here. There is a pic in the ‘my instruments ‘ section on here. I’m not good with these hyperlink things .

October 7, 2013 at 2:23 am #77474

leon-ducommun-dit-verron
Participant

Seems the picture did post. Not sure how I did that either

October 7, 2013 at 10:55 am #77475

Sylvia
Participant

I went to your bio, but it didn’t show anything there. That’s a gorgeous harp. I would have bought it, too! I wonder why it’s loud.

October 7, 2013 at 11:32 am #77476

leon-ducommun-dit-verron
Participant

Thankyou. Well as I said I bought it purely as a decorative harp. It had all the strings missing. Whether I should have done or not I got a set of new strings and because they were cheaper ( remember it wasn’t going to be tensioned up) I put on high tension modern ones for a concert harp- but I found it was fine and it plays fully tensioned up.
I say ‘loud ‘ compared to a grecian one I bought.

October 7, 2013 at 11:36 am #77477

leon-ducommun-dit-verron
Participant

This may help

October 7, 2013 at 11:54 am #77478

Gretchen Cover
Participant

Leon, You may want to read about string tension for older harps at http://www.hbryan.com. Your harp is beautiful. You would get a harp technician to look at your new harp if you plan to play it regularly.

October 7, 2013 at 12:11 pm #77479

leon-ducommun-dit-verron
Participant

Thankyou Gretchen.
If I had seen that I prob wouldn’t have strung it up with the strings it has. However it doesn’t seem anything like one of the old erards – it’s made like a modern harp.
I have an old Schwieso Grosjean 1820s grecian and that’s tiny by comparison and is made totally differently – when I even tried to put tension on the Schwiesos strings ( they are light tension ones) it was creaking and making the oddest unhealthy noises. The morley doesn’t seem to mind the modern strings.
However would you recommend I leave them tensioned up or should I slacken them off?

October 7, 2013 at 1:34 pm #77480

eliza-morrison
Participant

I definitely agree that advice from a technician or harp builder is in order. Perhaps Carl Swanson will notice this thread and give his thoughts. I also agree with Gretchen that the instrument might not be able to take modern string tension. Before changing the stringing, get professional guidance.
What a delightful surprise that it has turned out to be playable! I love it when old instruments get another ‘chapter.’

October 7, 2013 at 5:46 pm #77481

john-strand
Participant

I would suggest that you back it off at least 3 steps till you get a reading on it from a technician – its my understanding that harps of that era were lighter tension – also, watch carefully for any signs of stress between the base and board – also up where the column and neck join – I saw an old Wurlitzer split apart there from the neck twisting from string tension – its a lovely old harp –

A while back I tried some of those high tension strings – they were indeed louder, but the board pulled up and I was afraid it was going to blow – I switched to lever harp gut and the board “relaxed” by about 1/4″ – the sound is lovely, but not so loud –

October 7, 2013 at 9:40 pm #77482

Gretchen Cover
Participant

Leon,

I am not an expert on old harps which is why I would have a harp tech look at it. I would seek advice from others with old harps and harp shops and but most definitely a harp tech who works on older harps. You have an instrument that seems to be in great shape, and you certainly want it to stay that way.

October 8, 2013 at 4:19 am #77483

paul-knoke
Participant

Where is the harp now? We may be able to refer you to a technician in your area who is experienced with antique harps.

October 8, 2013 at 5:48 am #77484

leon-ducommun-dit-verron
Participant

I live in Northampton in Northamptonshire in England
Author

Posts