Felix Schmidt Mandolin Guitar??

[mick.mc...@fanb.com]

I recently came across a very unusual instrument in an antique shop. Its
label calls it a Mandolin Guitar and it was made by Felix Schmidt.
Supposedly it was made circa 1920. At first glance, it looks like an
autoharp without the chord bars. The sound hole has an ornate decal around
it. There is another decal above the lower bridge running the width of the
instrument with the note values of each string. I've made a lame attemp to
draw it below.

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| / ||
| \ ||
| _ \ ||
| / \ \||
| \_/ \|
| |
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On the left side are four sets of four strings of varying gauges, each
forming a chord. The chords are G, D, F and C. To the right are 24 strings,
one chromatic octave (I believe; the instrument is not with me at the moment)
with each note having two unison strings. I have no idea how the strings
were played. They may have been plucked or perhaps struck with hammers, such
as a hammered dulcimer.

I'm not sure yet if I'll be able to tune it. I have tuning keys for both a
hammered dulcimer and an autoharp, but have not yet tried to fit them over the
pegs of this strange beast.

This instrument is clearly a forerunner of the autoharp. It's probably safe
to say that there is some relationship between Felix Schmidt and Oscar
Schmidt. Beyond that, I know nothing. I can find no Internet reference to
this instrument.

Can anyone shed some light on the Felix Schmidt Mandolin Guitar? Historical
and/or playing information would be appreciated.

Also, I would like to put one or two coats of lacquer or tung oil on it.
Because of the decals, refinishing is out of the question, but I would still
like to protect it somehow. Any suggestions or warnings?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

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[toota...@gmail.com]

Today we would call it a Zither. the strings were picked or plucked, normally. It's sometimes called a lap harp. I can't find much info about it either, that's just going by one I've seen.

[Tom]

Wow! An all-time record answering a post over 15 years old?

Tom

toota...@gmail.com wrote in
news:b9970a4a-8a79-436c...@googlegroups.com:

[Abby Sale]

The representation and description suggest no neck. Therefore "Mandolin
Guitar" is surely a misnomer.

An autoharp is generically a zither, anyway, so "some kind of zither"
would work. I remember a few of these being played in the early 60's.
They were called 'manual harps' then. They worked very well with the
various classical & Irish forms of harp music and also as old
time/bluegrass.

I never questioned the name until now - "manual harp" also seems to beg
the question. If it came first, it wouldn't need to have been
distinguished from an autoharp by its name, 'manual'.

"A Mexican autoharp?"



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I am Abby Sale - in Raleigh, North Carolina

Skate free or die!
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