Mirecourt 19th c.

Flat body so-called “guitar hurdy-gurdy” whose body, in maple, is varnished in a honey color, as well as the spruce top. The pegboard, also in maple, is fitted with four rosewood pegs. The keyboard, wheel cover and tailpiece are veneered with ebony and lined with fine mother-of-pearl and ebony marquetry?

The shape of the instrument, the woods used, and the sculpture of the head contribute to attributing this hurdy-gurdy to the workshop of Nicolas Colson (1795-1871) a luthier in Mirecourt whose son Joseph (1829-1882) sculpted the pegs with the faces features.

Keyboard composed of ten rosewood keys.

The bottom bears traces of poorly stamped iron marks: F. BAR…(Barbé?), as well as a (bowmaker’s?) mark E. Philibert…

Length: 41.5cm Width: 17.4 – 12.8cm.

Provenance: Collection of luthier Charles Enel (1880-1954) then Frédéric Boyer (1926-2005).