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Clavichord by Graebner (School of)

Maker:

Graebner

Number of manuals:

one

Year:

1700-1800

Museum:

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Date Range

1700-1800

Current Location: 

North America

Material:

Painter:

Pedals:

Catalogue Number:

Origin:

Germany

Type:

Clavichord

Technical description: Fretted clavichord, European walnut case without legs, drawer extending full width under bottom has leather-hinged lid opening to reveal compartments for paper, ink bottles, etc., with remnants of marbled paper lining, lid support ribbon secured to sliding lid of compartment left of keyboard, fabric-backed music rack hinged into dust panel over strings, separate small panel with large central hole covers front C-e soundboard area, nameboard includes recessed panel that springs up to form music rest at front of rack, C-e³ double-strung, triple-scored ebony naturals with arcade fronts (note letters scratched on heads), pear accidentals topped with ivory, typically carved and lead-weighted basswood key levers numbered beneath, tuning pins identified by inked letters on paper strip, original rack pins and tangents of brass (some pins replaced), brass hardware, fretting in pairs except for Ds and As and bottom octave. Credit (Laurence Libin, 1985)

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