Organology: Harp Guitar "Relatives"

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.

Arch-citterns

I separate this group into what I call "true" arch-citterns and "false" arch-citterns. The instruments of the first group are theorboed versions of true, historically traditional citterns. The second (and most common) group consists of superficially similar instruments, descended from English guitars (ergo "false" citterns). Stringing and tuning are the main factors that separate the two general groups.

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W. Tieffenbrucker, Padua, c. 1590

The so-called
"poliphant" is classified as a "harp-cittern."

 Thomas Robinson, 1609 Andreas E. Kram, Nuremberg, 1768 Kram, 1785 Johann G. Klemm, Radeberg, 1755 The German "waldzither" (they consider it a "necked" zither) is a cittern variant. Usually with 9 strings, some have more, and some have the lower single basses off the neck like this one.
French, c.1780 French, c.1780 Renault, Paris, late 18th century Renault & Chatekain, Paris, 1787

Liesem, 1757

 G. Deleplanque, Lille, 1792

For more information on the cittern, visit the wonderful Renovata Cythara site.

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