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RCM 114 Pedal Harp Georges Cousineau, Paris, c.1775 Inscriptions Brand at top end of front: COUSINEAU Brief description Single-action pedal harp with 34 strings and crochet (hook) action Dimensions : 1662, without feet 1625 : 1150 : 810 : at top 112, at bottom 321 : at top 62, at bottom 178 , : 242 : 1 1402
12
932
23 402
2 1368
13
879
24 370
3 1330
14
820
25 342
4 1295
15
757
26 314
5 1253
16
696
27 290
6 1214
17
636
28 264
7 1172
18
589
29 240
8 1125
19
545
30 216
9 1080
20
505
31 192
10 1034
21
468
32 168
11
22
434
33 150
982
34 128 Description Grain of soundboard laid crossways; gilded bridge-strip with staples to define speaking length of strings. Four soundholes, each consisting of six holes around a central hole. Soundboard decorated with painted birds, insects and flowers; scalloped gilded band-edging, also along bridge-strip. Back of seven staves of maple of fine curl; bottom of soundbox closed. Neck and action-cover of ebonised limewood. Acanthus volute crested and embellished with flowers and garlands, both carved and composition, finished with gold and silver leaf, and bronze powders. Gilded pillar entwined with carved flowers, painted and gilded. Four later gilded claw feet. Seven iron folding pedals, operating 29 crochets. Drilled tuning-pins with tapered square heads and shoulders. Nuts formed of iron pins narrowed to locate strings, and with decorative cut-glass heads; some are replacements. Crochets mounted on threaded rods for height adjustment. Secondary nuts formed of individual notched iron inserts lie below the crochets. Tuned in E♭; no action fitted for the two highest and three lowest strings. Commentary This harp by Georges Cousineau (1733–1800) has one of the earliest French harp mechanisms, of the type developed by Jean-Henri Naderman (1734–99); the hooks pull 40
Pedal harp, Cousineau, RCM 114: detail of volute
the strings inwards against the secondary nuts. Cousineau père was later joined by his son Jacques-Georges (1760–1836). Besides making improvements to the mechanism of the harp (see RCM 199), the Cousineaus sold other instruments and published harp music and tutors. These included the Méthode de Harpe… by Cousineau fils, who was also a teacher, composer and harpist, performing at the Paris Opéra; in 1805 he became Luthier and then Maître de Harpe to the Empress Josephine (see Droysen-Reber 1999, p.298). Provenance Gift of Sir George Donaldson, 1894 References Donaldson 1896, pl.XXXI Wells 1984, p.14
Pedal harp, Cousineau, RCM 114: detail with action cover removed