The lute is the 11 course made by Michael Lowe for the lutenist Michael
Schaeffer.
For information on Michael Schaeffer please see
http://www.susanjking.com/
– The body is based on that by Hans Frei which is currently in the
Warwick Museum, though the details are not copied from it.
– The back is made of alternating ribs of figured maple and pearwood with
lines of purfling between.
– The soundboard is spruce.
– The soundboard rose is based on the one in the lute being played by
Charles Mouton in his portrait.
– The instrument was built in in 1977
– The instrument has ivory on it – inside the pegbox, on the head, the
rider, in stripes down the back of the neck and edging around the
soundboard. The ivory was purchased on 20th January 1977 from Messrs
Friedlein and Co, ivory importers of Bethenal Green, London.
– The label inside says „Oxoni fecit Michael Lowe 1977 / 34
– The string length is 68cm – 68.5cm (somewhere in-between)
The lute is the one that Michael Schaeffer played when he recorded his *Baroque
Lute Music* record. (His last record)
The price is 10,000 euros.
This lute has ivory on it. I have contacted CITES who have given it „free
passage“ throughout Europe and the UK – for other countries you would need
to check. For further information on importing ivory refer to CITES
http://www.cites.org/
The lute is in Antwerp, Belgium.
For further info go to http://www.susanjking.com/ or contact susanjanetking@gmail.com
