Morley copy made in China

[Arsalaan Fay]

Friends:
I’m trying to get information about a customer’s harp. Take a look at the
pictures on my facebook page. You should be able to see the pictures without a
facebook account.
http://tiny.cc/8ijsi
A Chinese “friend” tells me that the Chinese inscription translates as:
First line:Shanghai Music Conservatory
Second line:Musical instrument factory
Third line:Chinese Shanghai NO:178
Morley, in England, built a 48 string pedal harp. This Chinese harp carries
enough of the same details to believe that it is a direct copy. I’ll list some
of the detail below. If you have seen a harp like this or can provide
information, please let me know.
From the above link, take a look at recent repairs that I have worked on and
harpists with the Dilling Single Action Harp.
Some of the Morley detail found on this harp:
tuning pins go through the brass plates
brass plate though the knee block to rest on the body
square end of tuning pins slightly tapered
natural and sharp disks turn in opposite directions
small treble disks (no off-set bridge pins)
disks are NOT double threaded (left hand thread locking against right hand
thread)
Flat pedal slot goes into the body so the pedal box less tall
knee block is off set on the right hand side
back plate screws are simply screws with large heads
Any thoughts? Please comment
Arsalaan Fay
builder of the Dilling Single Action Harp
Florida

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

We should have 48 strings, assuming it is an 00A that was added. The Villa-Lobos Concerto calls for an A-natural in the over-octave or zero-octave. When master composers call for something new, the manufacturers should accomodate them. That is how instruments improved all through the 19th century.

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

I would really like to examine this closely. I do not like the look of the curved pedal slots. It looks like the pedals could easily slide out of position. I would like to hear how the brass neck plate being linked to the body affects the sound. I would like to see how adjustable the mechanism is for regulation. I would like to hear how it sounds!

[jessica-wolff]

I was not able to view the pictures without signing in / joining up.

[unknown-user]

Your pictures are similar to a harp here in San Antonio which I have mentioned previously on this thread – it was given to the San Antonio Symphony somewhere around 25 years ago by a benefactor who bought it in China on a trip – it may still be in storage with the symphony although I also heard that it was given to a local church – for more information I would suggest you call the SA Symphony 210-554-1010 and ask for either the stage manager, or Rachel Farris who is the harpist.
The harp was nicknamed the “Dragon Lady” because it had a dragon head on the column with two emerald green stone eyes – it was gold and had leather pedal wraps and the 4th and 5th octaves were wound nylon strings on a steel core – did not have a particularly good sound, but certainly held pitch well –
Good luck on you search –
John

[patricia-jaeger]

Arsalaan, like Jessica above, I was not able to see your link without signing in to Facebook. I am untrustworthy of those online social networking sites. I have enough actual friends in the real world and want any online information to stay secure. By the way, I have a Dilling 33-string harp; so do Emily Mitchell, Paul Hurst, Erik Berglund- it is wonderful.

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