ONLINE HARP SHOP
REPLICA DOWNHILL HARP
This carved replica of the 18th century Downhill harp was built by David Kortier, of Duluth, MN, USA, in the first half of 2007. Its three components are cut from a huge log of American soft (silver) maple wood. The neck and pillar are morticed and pegged together to form a single unit, which is a press fit onto the one-piece soundbox hollowed from behind. The separate back board has two access holes. It is carved with the moulding and relief copied from the original which was made by Cormac O'Kelly in the North of Ireland in 1702. As well as profiling and beading, the carving includes a poem on the side of the soundbox. The brass fittings comprise the cheek bands which support the metal tuning pins (not yet fitted in this photo) and also the individual triangular string shoes which are nailed to the soundbox. As on the original there are 30 tuning pins but 32 string shoes allowing various stringing regimes to be used. The harp has brass strings and is tuned to the same scale as the original Downhill (as noted by Edward Bunting in the 1790s) Price: Contact us for more information about ordering a harp from David Kortier For any enquiries to do with your order, please email shop@irishharp.org. Each time you make a purchase from this on-line shop, you are contributing to the work of the HHSI. Thank you for your support. |
