Likely hailing from Ethiopia of Kenya – on accounting of its simple stylistic presentation. A harp of the ‘lyre’ type with an oval resonating chamber and stretched leather. Coming out of it are two lengthy wooden struts dyed black and brown. These diverging struts are connected to each other at the top through a third diagonal wooden strut onto which are fastened the five strings of the East African lyre together with five spherical wraps of pant fibres. The five stings come together further down and over the stretching through a hole in the resonating chamber, where they are held in place by a small diagonal stick.
The resonating chamber is oval and carved out of wood, slightly conical, shaping into a ball and bulging towards the back. It is dyed black and has a hole at the peak on the verso. The flat leather stretching at the front of the harp includes four additional small holes and is also dyed black.
A typical and beautiful traditional musical instrument with excellent old usage patina. No damage. Height: c. 65 cm; width: 38 cm (upper diagonal strut); depth of the conical resonating chamber: c. 14 cm. First half of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance:
Austrian Private Collection.

Lit.:
'Musikinstrumente der Völker' by A. Buchner, ill. 152, 155,156; 'Africa. Musica y Arte' by Elena Martinez-Jacquet & David Serra, ill. 20, 21, 22.