ram’s-head harps

[deb-l]

so now am I using the term French Style wrong?

[barbara-brundage]

Don’t understand. Both ramshead harps and scroll tops were French designs, although both styles were used by German, English, and other nationalities at the time as well. But at that period, France was the style leader for most things in Europe.

[deb-l]

the Capital, on Pratt harps they have an oval rather than a column shaped piece.

[deb-l]

Madame Cadilac also has this oval shaped Capital, that is a french style right?

[barbara-brundage]

Look at the capital on Howard’s harp again. It’s called a ramshead harp because it has little sheep’s heads around the top.

[barbara-brundage]

The madame cadillac is a scroll top style harp. I don’t in the least understand what you mean by ‘French style.’

[deb-l]

I understand the different between ram’s head and scroll top now.

[deb-l]

maybe this will help, description on the Chamber harp from Mr. Pratt’s website ‘which has a straight fluted or
faceted column, and a “ram’s head” style rounded front to the neck, above the
top of the column’

[barbara-brundage]

> Is that style called something?

Not really. It’s just a simpler attempt to give the effect of a more complicated style (the scroll).

[jessica-wolff]

That’s what I love about it, those echoes of Erard! If only it weren’t so big (for a lever harp)!

[deb-l]

well, I think it’s a lovely design, and it’s too bad there’s no name to describe it.

[barbara-brundage]

>If only it weren’t so big (for a lever harp)!

Yeah. I went all the way to the ISFHC conference in Galveston to see it, and it was so nearly perfect for what I wanted, except that I couldn’t reach the low bass levers sitting down. 🙁

[jessica-wolff]

When all the seas gang dry…or when I can persuade my daughter to put a photo somewhere where it can be tr’d onto Harp Column. Don’t get me wrong, I can take photographs (on an old manual Zeiss Ikon Contaflex and an old Yashica ditto); but I’m hopelessly not of the computer generation. Also, I’d need a piano mover; the Erard is currently behind my daughter’s piano to protect it from the cats. I do have somewhere a photo I took of the column head, but it’s on slide film. Can you scan a slide or do you have to print it out first? Anyway, if I remember aright, it shows the ram’s heads clearly.

[jessica-wolff]

Yes, Barbara, I’d be very inclined to get one, but I’m under 5’0″ and taller folks than I am say they can’t reach those levers. What possessed him to build a lever harp 69″ tall? Anyway, Deb, that’s MY idea of a ram’s-head harp.

[deb-l]

Jessica, I don’t want to see a picture of your harp because of the Ram’s head, I was hoping to see it because I love the old Antique harps and the Erard’s are especially gorgeous.

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