File:Lute guitar (c.1800) by A. Barry, London, UK - MIM PHX.jpg

Lute guitar (c.1800) by A. Barry, London, UK - MIM PHX

Lute Guitar[1]
London, United Kingdom, c.1800
A. Barry, maker

2009.24

Footnote

References

• Gregg Miner (2011-05-29). Guitars and Other Strings at the MIM (AMIS Convention, Day 1 continued). www.harpguitars.net. "On the other side is this gorgeous “harp-guitar” by Barry. I argued (and will continue to) that this confuses the issue a bit for the uninitiated, as it is belongs with the open-C-tuned Edward Light harp-lute inventions rather than guitars. Perhaps used because this one only has 6 strings instead of the more typical 7 or 8? To confuse things further, it is also labeled a “lute guitar” (Matthew doesn’t remember where he found this specific name – I’ll be tracking it down, as I suspect it’s an error or misinterpretation)."
• Gregg Miner. Organology: Harp Guitar "Relatives" - Harp-lutes. www.harpguitars.net. "Note to the casual reader or researcher: This Reference Gallery features historical instruments that are not harp guitars, but “relatives” or distant “cousins” – presented on Harpguitars.net for historical and organological comparison.”, “Harp-lutes: While this term refers to a specific form of Edward Light instrument, I have long believed that it is also the term that should be used in the broader sense as a family name to include all the Light inventions and the many copies and variations by other makers. All appear to have been made in the 1798-1830 period, generally in London (the Levien in Paris). Edward Light was the original and most prolific inventor (his instruments being built by the shop of Barry), with competition from Clementi, Harley, Packer, Wheatstone, Ventura, and finally, Levien in Paris. / The original "proto" harp-lute was named the "Harp-Guitar" and was a distinct new instrument with its own form and construction that borrowed its tuning not from the guitar, but from the English Guitar, a cittern-like instrument. Thus the harp-lutes had their own tuning and tradition of musical literature. / See Definition 2 of "Harp Guitar" and Lyre Guitars for more information on why these instruments are in this Gallery instead of others. ...”"