CHAPTER 4: Dulcimers in the British Isles since 1800 > Dulcimers in East Anglia

Portrait of one instrument

- click on a thumbnail for a closer view

This is the very beautiful instrument of Frank Rice, Newton Flotman, Norfolk, a dulcimer with lots of special features.

Mr. Rice was a trades and crafts Training Officer who, having an instrument which his grandfather had owned c.1910, took lessons from Billy Bennington in his retirement to brush up his forgotten skills, and played Country and Western music, hymns and Noel Coward songs, using only hammers.

size: 94 x 39 x 6.5 cm

bridges - chessmen

strings - 20 courses, five strings per course, though one whole course of strings is missing

maybe made around 1930 (or is this the 1910 instrument from his grandfather?)

decoration:

• embossed brass decor
• two roses, and a royal arms;
• gold-painted chessmen and internal framing;
• soundholes decorated with black-and-brown inlaid compasses, and gold painted outside the soundboard

It has a light, sturdy construction

special features:

• - hinged extra foot;
• - round corner feet;
• - wrest and hitch blocks are bevelled, allowing the fingers to curve comfortably under when picking it up.

photography - Dagmar Veraksits/DK