Walnut burl, satinwood and diverse precious woods, stucco; gold mounting (chairs)
England, London, around 1830
Neo-Gothic Style
Brothers Sébastién & Pierre Érard – French instrument maker of the 19th century
Inscribed each SEBASTIEN & PIERRE ERARD’S PATENT NO. 5048 und 6177 18 GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET LONDON
Charis, presumably France, classicist, 18th century
Harps with each 7 pedals
Fine gilded stucco ornaments in the form of figures, lions and decorating frieze
Dimensions: harps each 198 x 95 x 48 cm; chairs each 50 x 40 cm
Good condition
Provenance: private ownership, England
The extremely decorative and unique ensemble suits exclusive decoration as well as active playing by a players’ couple

The matching pair of two large decorative and playable concert harps was crafted by the brothers Érard in London in around 1830. The harps of walnut burl, satinwood and diverse precious woods are embellished with fine gilded stucco ornaments in the form of figures, lions and decorating frieze. The fluted column shaft with capital with distinctively curved holder on the side stands in a triangular, moved orchestra with four decorating feet. Two classicist harp chairs with gold mounting and presumably a slightly later cover are also part of the set.

The two harps are each inscribed SEBASTIEN & PIERRE ERARD’S PATENT NO. 5048 und 6177 18 GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET LONDON. They are both newly strung and regulated with each 46 strings. They are in good, original condition with original mount. There are traces of use, such as desiccation cracks in the wood, color chips and partly minimal loss of material in the stucco ornamented figures. Corpus and mechanics are restored, revised and regulated as well as entirely newly strung and tuned. The bright harp is strung with carbon, the first letters are ip. The black harp is strung with gut, the first letters are id. Both harps are after according tuning playable to their full potential. The harps are each 198 x 95 x 48 cm in size. The dimensions of the chairs are each 50 x 40 cm.

Sébastien Érard

Sébastíen Érard began working for a manufacturer of harpsichords in Paris at the age of 16. He went into business himself and set up his own workshop already at the age of 25. He completed his first Pianoforte, one of the first ones in France ever, in 1780. The studio became one of the most important workshops of Europe. Érard moved to London during the revolution, where he built another factory. He returned to Paris in 1796 and sold large Pianoforti in English style that he has amended with some of his own techniques. He went again to London in 1808, where he sold his first harp with ‘double movement’. This new innovative instrument became by its numerous advantages and amendments as popular and sought-after that Érard from now on devoted his work to the manufactory of harps exclusively. He returned to Paris four years later; he created the Pianoforte ‘grand modèle avec double déversoir’ in 1823, the crowning of his work. (tm)

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