Harp Making in
Late-Georgian London
At the end of the eighteenth century, after the French Revolution, the centre of pedal-harp making moved from Paris to London. There, building on the work of its Bavarian originators and Parisian developers, mainly immigrant makers elevated the instrument to new musical, technical, and decorative heights, and placed it in the hands and salons of the British upper classes and aristocracy. Until recently, the story of harp making in England has been dominated by the Erard family who built about 7,000 of an estimated 15,000 harps made in London during the nineteenth century; some 20 other makers have been all but forgotten.
This book, the story of harp making in late-Georgian England, assesses the role and consumption of the harp in society whilst describing its decorative and technical development. Forgotten makers and their innovations are identified. Through the lens of newly discovered documents and the reinterpretation of others, Jacob Erat's manufactories are reconstructed. His working methods, illustrative of those used in the wider industry, are rediscovered, and employees and suppliers are revealed anew.
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ISBN: 9781527265110
428 pages
Price: £60
Harp Making in
Late-Georgian London
At the end of the eighteenth century, after the French Revolution, the centre of pedal-harp making moved from Paris to London. There, building on the work of its Bavarian originators and Parisian developers, mainly immigrant makers elevated the instrument to new musical, technical, and decorative heights, and placed it in the hands and salons of the British upper classes and aristocracy. Until recently, the story of harp making in England has been dominated by the Erard family who built about 7,000 of an estimated 15,000 harps made in London during the nineteenth century; some 20 other makers have been all but forgotten.
This book, the story of harp making in late-Georgian England, assesses the role and consumption of the harp in society whilst describing its decorative and technical development. Forgotten makers and their innovations are identified. Through the lens of newly discovered documents and the reinterpretation of others, Jacob Erat's manufactories are reconstructed. His working methods, illustrative of those used in the wider industry, are rediscovered, and employees and suppliers are revealed anew.
​
ISBN: 9781527265110
428 pages
Price: £60
Rescued Folklore
The folklore of a nation is a transient thing,
often passed by word-of-mouth from
generation to generation. It is most
definitely the sum of its parts, every
area having its own distinct tales. In I
reland, folklore is based around
townlands (small areas encompassing
a few farms), villages, towns, cities or
counties.
Folklore is an important part of a nation's identity, and this is why, together with language, art, music, and religion, it has often been oppressed by invading nations and during occupation. Such is the case in Ireland. During the British occupation all of these were suppressed, and some were banned entirely.
After independence and the subsequent civil war (a common feature of a liberated country), the Republic of Ireland formed it's first national government. Recognising that the country's transient heritage was at risk of total loss, a commission was established to gather the nation's folklore. Here, perhaps, this story takes it's most inspired turn for it was the nation's children who were charged with the collection of stories, histories, songs, and all aspects of the old and dying national life; and they grabbed the baton and ran with it. The 'Rescued Folklore' series brings these stories to light for the first time in eighty years.
Available Spring 2025
