CHAPTER 4: Dulcimers in the British Isles since 1800 > Dulcimers in the Midlands & the North

19th Century

The earliest indication of a Birmingham dulcimer is an instrument owned by Graham Wells, of Sotheby's, which is identified as being mid-19th century, and by Joseph Riley & Sons, Constitution Hill, Birmingham.

Unfortunately, this information was only received during the last stages of the present study, so it has not yet been possible to inspect it, obtain photographs or attempt to trace the makers, though they apparently made fine Billiard tables and finally went out of business just before the first World War (49).