Rudolf Ewerhart collection on auction

[andro (Andrew Bernard)]

@Dennis

Well, how obvious is it that this is a forgery?

Not only my view - refer to this topic:

"What's wrong with that harpsichord?"

Without any attempt to emulate our Douglas Amrine’s recent and excellent quiz, let’s have an 2021 end-of-year fun with a few historical harpsichord confusions, just a few of the many examples around. (Most pictures taken by myself.). I will list what appears at first sight, and await for answers explaining “the true story”, surely known to most of us in The Jackrail. [107Harps,Hieronymus-upper] Boalch 3: Hieronymus, B. 1521, in the Victoria and Albert Museum collection, London. Long praised as the earliest extant harpsichord. A typical Italian Renaissance instrument. It has the common Italian disposition 2x8’. [128Harps,Baffo-front] Boalch 3: BAFFO, G. A. 1574(1), in the Victoria and Albert Museum collection, London. A typical Italian Renaissance instrument. It has the common Italian disposition 2x8’. [156Château-Aile François I-Harps,Baffo,B-,Venice1572-det] Inscribed “Ioannes Antonius Baffo Venetus MDLXXII” (1572), in the Château de Blois. [424HarpsRav,JeanClaudeGoujon,B1,Paris1749-84,Par] Boalch 3: RUCKERS(A), H(A). 1590(A)(2), now in the “Cité de la Musique”, Paris. A typical French late Baroque instrument, also typical Flemish-French “ravalement”, as shown by the name batten inscriptions “Hans Ruckers me fecit Antverpiae”, and the date 1590 on the soundboard. [619Harps,Shudi&Broadwood,B625-gen-venetian] Boalch 3: SHUDI,B. and BROADWOOD, J. 625. 1770, in the Fenton House, Hampstead, London. A large late English instrument, with the compass going down to CC. English makers typically fitted either one or two pedals (for the machine and the venetian swell), but in this particular instrument there is also a central pedal for the buff (“harp”) stop. … and maybe many more…