2nd Causeway Dulcimer Festival
  
 
Bushmills, Co. Antrim, Ulster
  
 
2nd to 4th June - 2006
  
 
 
 
[Nat Magee's copy of John Rea's Dulcimer]
  
 
[Photo by Rick Davis]
  
     
 
Patron - Hector MacDonnell Glenarm Castle Co. Antrim
  
     
 
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American Dulcimers
  
     
 
This old Dulcimer was made in the 1860s
  
 
 
 
Rick Davis took this photo in Mac McKinney's shop in Foscoe, North Carolina.
  
 
 
     
 
On Paul Gifford's page on the 'History Of the Hammered Dulcimer', he has the following two very interesting photographs of old American Hammered Dulcimers.
 
 
 
 

"This dulcimer was probably manufactured by the Wade Brothers in Milton, Kentucky, about 1860.
This one came from Montague, Michigan. Others like it appeared in Indiana and elsewhere."

 
     
 
 
 
"The following hammered dulcimer was perhaps made by an Ohio manufacturer about 1860.
This one came from Detroit. Two other examples like it were from Ohio and West Virginia."
  
     
 
Check out Paul Gifford's page on the 'History Of the Hammered Dulcimer' here -
 
 
 
     
 
My 16/15 Folkcraft Legend Dulcimer
  
 
 
     
 
This Dulcimer has an arched construction, with the sound board suspended away from internal frame members by a special bracing system.

There are sixteen double strung treble courses and fifteen double strung bass for a total of
forty-seven notes (3 octaves). It has the keys of "A", "D", "G", "C", "F", "E" as well as a lower
octave key of "D". The bridges for the top two courses on both the treble and bass bridges are
offset to fill in the chromatics for the key of "C". ~ 16/15
 
     
 
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The following photographs all came to me through the generousity of the many fine and enthusiastic members of the 'Everything Dulcimer' forum (ED)

If you are interested in Dulcimers you should check out this very informative forum.

 
     
 
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No 1 - A James Jones 3/16/15/8 Travel Chromatic
  
 
 
     
 

This Hammered Dulcimer belongs to ED Member a3 KrisS, from Lunenburg, MA.

"It's a 3/16/15/8 Travel Chromatic made by James Jones.

Weighing in at just about 11 pounds, it's got a lot of notes for the tiny size!"

  
 
 
 
No 2 - A Masterworks 15/14
  
 
 
     
 

This Hammered Dulcimer belongs to ED Member a3 jt3d, from Dobson, NC.

"It's a Masterworks 15/14 with Mahogany top, Spruce side rails and back & Walnut ends, both front & rear."

  
 
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No 3 - A Rick Thum 16/16
  
 
 
     
 

This Hammered Dulcimer belongs to ED Member a3 Kathy, from So. Central, PA

"It's a Rick Thum 16/16. It has a Sitka Spruce Top and Figured Walnut sides.

I had a friend make me the handcarved hummingbird and Thistle sound holes and Rick installed them in it. I wish they were bigger, they measure about 2" across."

  
 
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No 4 - A Nicolas Hambas 17/16/4/4 Concert Grand
 
 
 
     
 

This Hammered Dulcimer was made by ED Member a3 Nic Hambas a3

"Dimensions 24x41x21x4". Weight: 19 lbs.

These dulcimers have a 1/4-inch thick floating soundboard made of quartersawn Western red cedar, resting atop two 3/16-in. steel rods.

The position of the rods is adjustable to allow voicing.

Spacing between courses is a standard 1" center to center."

  
 
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No 5 - An unusual American Dulcimer by Worley Gardner
  
 
 
     
 

This Photo was taken by ED Member a3 Kathy, from So. Central, PA

"This is a unique & unusual American dulcimer. It only has one chessman style bridge down the center on it instead of 2 sets of bridges. The bridge is made from triangle shaped blocks of wood. The dulcimer is made like a suite case. The lid is hinged and removable, and it has 5 strings per course. It was built by Worley Gardner. There is a festival held every year in his honor." a1

  
 
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No 6 - A pair of 16/15s
 
 
 
     
 

These Hammered Dulcimers belong to ED Member a3 John Ware.

"They're both 16/15s, tuned 5th interval across the treble bridge.

Markers on the treble top to bottom: F C G D A. Markers on bass: Bb F C G Ds."

  
 
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No 7 - A J&K, made by Jim Hudson.
 
 
 
     
 

This Hammered Dulcimer belonged to ED Member a3 Stephen Kendall.

  
     
 
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No 8 - A Malcolm Dalglish
 
 
 
     
 

This Hammered Dulcimer belonged to ED Member a3 Rick Hall.

"This one was made by Malcolm Dalglish of Ohio.
It's Number 43 of about 60 that he made. It was handcrafted in 1977, the
year I started learning to play!"

  
     
 
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No 9 - A Durand, made by Ezra Durand in the 1860s
  
 
 
     
 

This Hammered Dulcimer belongs to ED Member a3 Fred Petrick.

"A Durand - made by Ezra Durand in the 1860s, in Michigan or in Connecticut.

This very instrument was once in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York."

  
     
 
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No 10 - A Hackett - made by Joseph and Elon Hackett
 
 
 
     
 

This Hammered Dulcimer belongs to ED Member a3 Fred Petrick.

"A Hackett - made by Joseph and Elon Hackett in Liberty Center, Ohio, some time 1870 -1900."

N.B. Fred says, this is actually the nicest of these three old Dulcimers, to play.

  
     
 
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No 11 - A Mackenzie Piano Harp!
 
 
 
     
 

This Hammered Dulcimer belongs to ED Member a3 Fred Petrick.

"A Mackenzie Piano Harp - manufactured by James Mackenzie in Minneapolis, sometime in the 1890s. It has a cast iron frame, like a piano, and was the Rolls Royce of dulcimers in its day.

Unfortunately, its "day" was just when dulcimers were going out of fashion."

  
 
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No 12 - Another wonderful American Hammered Dulcimer!
 
 
 
     
 

ED Member a3 Fred Petrick sent me this photograph.

Isn't this a beautiful looking instrument?

 
 
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No 13 - A Stroehlein Hammered Dulcimer!
 
 
 
     
 

Another photograph from E D Member a3 Fred Petrick.

"Stroehlein was a manufacturer of dulcimers in Brooklyn, New York, in the late 1800s; his instruments are odd, because the bridges are arranged like those on a German chromatic hackbrett."

 
 
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No 14 - Another fascinating Hammered Dulcimer!
 
 
 
     
 

Yet another photograph from E D Member a3 Fred Petrick.

  
 
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Many thanks to E D Member Lynn, who took the next five photographs at the Midland Dulcimer Festival in central Michigan in August 2007.

The owner of this collection of Hammered Dulcimers, Dave Leonard, is actually a descendant of Stephen Foster.
 
     
 
15 - Dave Leonard's first Hammered Dulcimer.
  
 
 
     
 
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16 - Dave Leonard's second Hammered Dulcimer.
  
 
 
     
 
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17 -Dave Leonard's third Hammered Dulcimer.
  
 
 
     
 
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18 - Dave Leonard's fourth Hammered Dulcimer.
  
 
 
     
 
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19 -Dave Leonard's fifth Hammered Dulcimer.
  
 
 
     
 
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Many thanks to all the ED members who so generously sent me these great photographs.

Thanks guys. Next time you are in Ballycastle, Co Antrim, I'm buying the Guinness!

But please don't all come at the same time - I only have a wee Sporran!

 
     
 

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