Lyon and Healy Style 19

[HBrock25]

We have recently encountered a LH Style 19 that the owner is selling “as is” for $2500.

[barbara-low]

You have good questions regarding a purchase of an older used harp that needs major repairs. There’s no way to know how this harp would compare to the new models you mention since it hasn’t undergone its repair yet. Yes, a crack in the baseboard is a major concern.

Can’t say whether the 19 would play the same as the 23 at Eastman, but my feeling is no. One’s a semi-grand and the other a concert grand.

If gold (with carving) is important to you, and you don’t mind a semi-grand then go for it. You can’t buy a new gold for anywhere near that.

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

You have found a harp that could be a real gem. It will have a warmer, richer tone than any new harp. That said, major repairs are very tricky, and can change a harp. If you are a harp major at Eastman, you should have a concert grand. This would be a good second harp to have. You could sell the Daphne to repair this one if you were also getting a grand. Frankly, I feel that

[Kara Allen]

Bought a L&H Style 19 for 5k from a woman in West Virginia three years ago. It was at my price point for what I could afford at the time. Considering these harps were being made around 1921, I can say the harp has been through two pandemics! Had it restrung and regulated for 2k by Liza Jensen Brooklyn. It played beautifully and was a great learning experience for my first pedal harp. Had it for a year and a half and I left it near an open window in the summer and not sure if it was a temperature fluctuation or humidity fluctuation, or the fact that the last rebuild of neck and base were 50 years ago (heard average life span of a neck is 20-30 years)…but the neck snapped by its own accord. Brought it to Swanson in Boston for new neck and base restoration. New neck was 5k and new base was around 3k. Plus this and that brought total repair to 9k. He has been working on restoring it for the last five months and it’s still not done so consider that in your decision for getting a harp that probably needs restoration. Next time I will not leave it by an open window for a long period of time and will control humidity as well. Style 23’s going for lot less then they used to. If you’re in school for harp, probably want the 23. But it’s a full size concert harp and way too big for my Honda CR-V. The 19 is smaller and more portable but still too big for my CR-V. Maybe I need a truck?

[Kara Allen]

https://harp.fandom.com/wiki/Transporting_a_Pedal_Harp_by_Car

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