{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O58965"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O58965/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BF2112/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BF2112/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BF2112","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O58965/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O58965","accessionNumber":"99-1899","objectType":"Dital-harp","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"By about 1820 Edward Light (c.1747-c.1832) had brought out a number of harp-variants including a 'dital harp', which could be fitted with as many as nineteen 'ditals' or hand-operated levers, although this example has only thirteen. Light made these elegant instruments fashionable amongst ladies, largely through connections with his pupil, Princess Charlotte (1796-1817), daughter of the Prince Regent and an enthusiastic player of harp-variants.","physicalDescription":"\"Body, similar to the preceding [i.e. Harp-lute by Edward Light, Museum no. 37-1873 - \"body of seven ribs, with two sound slots in the centre rib\".] painted dark blue, edged with gold decoration ... A base with moulded composition embellishment allows the instrument to stand up.  The pin bridge is placed aslant the belly. The curved member (neck plus harmonic curve) is without a hole. Of the nineteen strings, six are without mechanism and thirteen are provided with ditals. The smallest fingerboard is for the highest string only.' Anthony Baines,<i> Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments</i> (London, 1998), p. 69. \r\n\r\nThe woods cannot be identified because they are covered with paint and gilding. However, pine was commonly used for soundboards and maple for the ribs or backs of string instruments.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Light, Edward","id":"A11680"},"association":{"text":"Made","id":"x28674"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"},{"text":"ebony","id":"AAT12055"}],"techniques":[{"text":"planing","id":"AAT53863"},{"text":"joining","id":"AAT137062"},{"text":"painting","id":"x30598"},{"text":"gilding","id":"AAT53789"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Planed, gilded and painted wooden soundboard and ribs; ebony fingerboard with metal frets.","categories":[{"text":"Musical instruments","id":"THES48919"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2006BF2112"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES342019"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Dital-harp","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"Made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"about 1819","earliest":"1819-01-01","latest":"1819-12-31"},"association":{"text":"Made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"88","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Maximum","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"33","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Taken from Anthony Baines: <i>Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments.</i> (London, 1998), p. 69.","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"E.Light's Patent / Dital Harp / 43 Gt. Marylebone Street / London. No. 294","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Painted in gold on the top of the body of the instrument."}],"objectHistory":"In 1899 this instrument was bought by the Museum for £4 from James B.Birkmeyer, Esq.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Dital harp painted and gilded, Edward Light, London, English, about 1819.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Anthony Baines: Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments. (London, 1998), p. 69"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"DITAL HARP\r\nBy E. Light, London, about 1819\r\n \r\nNon-Keyboard Catalogue No.: 13/11 \r\n \r\nE. Light patented an improved \"British\" lute-harp, with thirteen ditals or hand-operated levers that could raise the note half a tone higher. By 1819 this instrument, with up to twenty strings by now, became known as the dital harp. \r\n\r\n\r\n99-1899","date":{"text":"pre September 2000","earliest":null,"latest":"2000-08-31"}}],"partNumbers":["99-1899"],"accessionNumberNum":"99","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1899,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-01","recordCreationDate":"2001-05-16","availableToBook":true}}