Lindeman Harps

[unknown-user]

I work for a musical instrument museum in MN and am trying to gather

information on a harp we have:

Lindeman No. 221, Chicago

Any information would be helpful.

Thank you

[paul-knoke]

Hi Mark

Lindeman harps were made in Chicago from 1905 to ca. 1965. Charles

Lindeman learned harp building from Cyrus Heckenlauer, who had worked

for Erard. It was a very small company, making only a handful of harps

each year. The number 221 is a serial number, but I have not been able

to locate any kind of an index to date the harps by serial number. You

may find a date concealed in the instrument inside the body (get a

flashlight and some little mirrors) or on the action block (the little

piece of wood between the action plates where they curve down into the

column). However, be aware that any inscriptions may be from later

repairs.

Lindemans are interesting harps. They have some unusual design

features. The pedal rods are attached to the pedal bars with a kind of

ball and socket joint with an attached nut, so the rods can be

adjusted in a matter of minutes, without removing the pedal box. The

action has clock-type springs in the lowest octave to keep the rods

under tension and assist with the pedal return. Instead of pedal rod

tubes, the rods run in channels routed out of the wood of the column

before it is assembled. The discs are attached to the ends of the

spindles with standard screws, rather than the Lyon & Healy system of

opposing threads on center screw and disc.

I have a 44-string Lindeman that I like a lot. It’s a smaller and

lighter weight instrument, but has plenty of power and projects well

through an orchestra.

I hope this wasn’t too much information!

Paul

[Evangeline Williams]

How hard is it to find these harps?

[paul-knoke]

Hi Evangeline

Lindeman harps come up for sale only rarely. Not many were made, and

most people that have one want to hang on to it. The design features

are good concepts, but the harps tend not to be as finely built and

finished as Lyon & Healys or Wurlitzers of the same period. A big

drawback is that parts must be custom made or adapted for them, as the

company has been out of business fo 40 years.

Paul

[Cindy B]

I am so happy to have found this information. I have a lindeman harp #702 andnever had much info on it

[Angela Biggs]

I know this is an old thread, but I found a Lindeman on Craigslist today: http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/atd/4394478339.html

I’d love to get it for myself, but I live almost three hours away; I couldn’t just pop in to try it out and learn whether it needs some new strings, or a complete overhaul. So – I hope someone else finds this helpful! 🙂

[paul-knoke]

Yes, that looks like mine, but with different soundboard decoration. One thing to keep in mind is that Lindeman harps should be strung at lower tension, with “Lever Harp Gauge” strings.

[karlwagoner]

Cindy B. Obviously a very old post but I just joined and this is the only place I,ve seen anything on Lindeman harps.
Your post stood out to me because my harp is serial number 704. Our harps are sisters, I suppose. Have you any idea when yours was manufactured?
Karl

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