American, Boston
Aeolian Harp, 1906
Hardwood, softwood, and maple with brass, copper, and iron pins, 83.5 x 15.5 cm (32 7/8 x 6 1/8 in.)
This is a long wooden sound box measuring 32 7/8 by 6 1/8 inches. It has a removal lid and five pins and two bridges on either side of the top, indicating it had five strings which would have been stretched lengthwise across the two bridges. The strings are missing and the wood stain is faded with age. There is a sound hole at the center top in the shape of a truncated clover leaf. There is a sticker on the inside of the sound hole. It is a faded blue and holds an image of a figure playing a violin in front of scrolling designs. It seems to suggest fast moving clouds, hence the wind. To the right of the image is a plain rectangle. 1906 is written at the bottom right.
Macknight Room
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.