Orpharion by Francis Palmer, London, 1617.
Collection of Musikmuseet, Musikhistorisk Museum & Carl Claudius’ Samling, Copenhagen, Denmark
Inv. No. CL 139
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The Palmer instrument is an orpharion of 9 courses with the festooning similar to that normally seen in iconographic sources of the time. It is currently on public display as part of the collection of Musikmuseet, Musikhistorisk Museum & Carl Claudius’ Samling, Copenhagen, Denmark, and possesses the inventory number CL 139.
Provenance / Maker
The maker's label in the instrument indicates the name of the builder as "Francis Palmer" and the date of 1617.
Back: 4 pieces of Walnut (dark staves) and 3 pieces of Maple (light staves) Sides: Walnut Soundboard: coniferwood (probably Spruce) Neck: Maple
Pegbox: Pear Fingerboard: Maple Fret "wedges": Ebony and Maple
Body:
maximum length: 1005 mm
string length at treble: 518.5 mm
string length at bass:
601.5 mm
body length: 421 mm
maximum width: 269 mm
Sides:
thickness: c. 1.2 mm
height at neck, including soundboard and back: 72 mm
height at bottom, including soundboard and back: 75 mm
Fingerboard:
length at treble side: 313.5 mm
length at bass side:
318.5 mm
Neck:
at treble: 248.5 mm
at bass: 272 mm
width at nut: 71.4 mm
width at body: 86.2 mm
Pegbox:
from top to the back of the nut, at center: 319 mm
Rose:
diameter: 100 mm
Plans / Drawings
A technical drawing and a report on the condition of the Palmer orpharion by Darryl Martin are available for free as PDF downloads, courtesy of the Musikhistorisk Museum of Copenhagen, Denmark.
The report contains some photos of the instrument and a general description of particular aspects of the construction of the instrument not readily apparent from the drawing. For scholars interested in this instrument, the articles below are also highly recommended, as they contain additional information not contained in the report.
My appreciation and thanks go to Darryl Martin for making his information on the Palmer instrument publicly available as well as for his suggestions and corrections for this page. I would also like to thank Ture Bergstrøm and the National Music Museum of Denmark for their assistance in providing information and answering questions, and for their kind submission of and permission to include high-resolution photographs of the Palmer instrument on these pages.
Ibid. Only basic measurements are provided here. More detailed measurements, including fretting, are available via the text and drawings of the instrument. See Plans / Drawings, above. [back]
How to cite this page: Hartig, Andrew. "Orpharion by Francis Palmer, London, 1617." Renovata Cythara: The Renaissance Cittern Site. Ed. Andrew Hartig.
21 November 2007.
10 May 2008.
<http://www.cittern.theaterofmusic.com/old/palmer.html>.
