Harp Making in
Late-Georgian London
At the end of the eighteenth century, after the French Revolution, the centre of pedal-harp making moved from Paris to London. There, building on the work of its Bavarian originators and Parisian developers, mainly immigrant makers elevated the instrument to new musical, technical, and decorative heights, and placed it in the hands and salons of the British upper classes and aristocracy. Until recently, the story of harp making in England has been dominated by the Erard family who built about 7,000 of an estimated 15,000 harps made in London during the nineteenth century; some 20 other makers have been all but forgotten.
This book, the story of harp making in late-Georgian England, assesses the role and consumption of the harp in society whilst describing its decorative and technical development. Forgotten makers and their innovations are identified. Through the lens of newly discovered documents and the reinterpretation of others, Jacob Erat's manufactories are reconstructed. His working methods, illustrative of those used in the wider industry, are rediscovered, and employees and suppliers are revealed anew.
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ISBN: 9781527265110
428 pages
Price: £60
Harp Making in
Late-Georgian London
At the end of the eighteenth century, after the French Revolution, the centre of pedal-harp making moved from Paris to London. There, building on the work of its Bavarian originators and Parisian developers, mainly immigrant makers elevated the instrument to new musical, technical, and decorative heights, and placed it in the hands and salons of the British upper classes and aristocracy. Until recently, the story of harp making in England has been dominated by the Erard family who built about 7,000 of an estimated 15,000 harps made in London during the nineteenth century; some 20 other makers have been all but forgotten.
This book, the story of harp making in late-Georgian England, assesses the role and consumption of the harp in society whilst describing its decorative and technical development. Forgotten makers and their innovations are identified. Through the lens of newly discovered documents and the reinterpretation of others, Jacob Erat's manufactories are reconstructed. His working methods, illustrative of those used in the wider industry, are rediscovered, and employees and suppliers are revealed anew.
​
ISBN: 9781527265110
428 pages
Price: £60
NEW BOOK
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Béara: Rescued Folklore
Here is folklore from Ireland’s Béara Peninsula, a realm where myth, legend and history are woven into the rugged, wave-ravaged landscape. Béara: Rescued Folklore, Histories and Songs from Ireland’s South-West, the third book in Mike Baldwin’s Rescued Folklore series, unveils the tales, songs, and customs that define this storied land. Collected by the children of the Béara between 1937 and 1939, this volume preserves the voices of the past - stories passed through generations, tales of ancient battles, hidden treasures, supernatural encounters, and everyday lives shaped by resilience and tradition.
Here, the legacy of chieftains and clans endures. From sacred wells to shipwrecks along the rugged coastline, each story reveals a facet of Béara’s cultural heritage, illuminating the strength and spirit of its people. These pages invite the reader to rediscover the timeless landscapes and enduring legends of Ireland’s wild southwest, where each mountain, valley, and shore holds echoes of the past.
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Available from 2 December 2024
ISBN:978-1-0369-0444-9