D R A W I N G S
made by Grant O'Brien
Catalogue of the available full-scale drawings
The following is a list of the drawings which I have made over the years and which are now available for sale from me. They are printed on 80 gsm cartridge paper or can be printed on mylar film!
All white mylar drawings are printed on 180gsm heavy film. Mylar is much more stable both with changes in humidity and temperature so the dimensions of the drawing will not vary over the time period in which an instrument or stand is made using the drawing. The prices of these drawing reflects the new improved quality of these drawings!
See the price list and ordering details.
Unlike most drawings commercially available either from museums of musical instruments or from private individuals, these drawings are printed very accurately to scale in both length and width to an accuracy of at least 1mm in 1000mm.
Click on the image at the left for more information and for a larger view of the image and the drawing.
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Drawing 1a - Franco-Flemish double-manual harpsichord by Johnny Bell. Paris ravalement by François Blanchet, 1750 and by J. Barberini and N. Hoffmann, 1786. Decoration by Christophe Huet with figures attributed to near school of François Bouchet, Paris, 1750. This is the drawing of the superb Franco-Flemish harpsichord, an instrument that is described in detail here on my website:. The drawing includes the main instrument, the lid, the case, bridge dimensions, hardware, soundboard thicknesses, keyboards, etc., and so all that is needed to make an accurate reproduction of the instrument itself. The drawing is more like a report on the history of the instrument and its uses in the past. In addition to all of the features above, colours are used to distinguish the various stages of the construction, ravalement and modern restoration alterations. It does not include a drawing of the stand. There are large full-sized images of the decoration on the inside and the outside of the lid. This drawing can be bought with images of the decoration as separate purchases. Drawing of the main instrument: 2320mm long x900mm wide, including the keyboards. Drawings of the lid interior and exterior decorations: xmm x ymm. Note by Grant O'Brien: Now restored to playing condition again, this is the finest-sounding harpsichord that I have ever heard. I very much look forward to hearing an accurate copy of it!! |
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Drawing 1b - Decoration of the Franco-Flemish double-manual harpsichord Paris ravalement by François Blanchet, 1750 and by J. Barberini and N. Hoffmann, 1786. Decoration by Christophe Huet with figures attributed to near school of François Boucher, Paris, 1750. This is the drawing of the external and the inside of the lid of the superb Franco-Flemish harpsichord, above. The image here is only of the spine side! It does not include a drawing of the stand. This drawing can be bought with images of the decoration as separate purchases. Drawing sizes: xxxxmm long xxxxxmm wide, |
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Drawing 1 - 'French' Ruckers double-manual harpsichord The drawing is of an aligned extended-compass 'French' double-manual harpsichord with a compass of G1 to d3 and with both manuals at normal pitch (A415). The drawing includes the main instrument, lid, case, bridge dimensions, hardware, soundboard thicknesses, keyboards, etc. Drawings 2 and 3 are included in the price of this drawing. There is everything you might need here to make an instrument and to decorate it! Drawing of the main instrument: 2320mm long x900mm wide Drawing of the keyboards: 1252mmx933mm
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Soundboard decoration of above |
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Drawing 2 - 'French' Ruckers double-manual harpsichord soundboard decoration The layout and detail of the soundboard decoration with annotations giving the pigments and colours is given. The decoration of the rosette wreath is not included on the drawing but a full-sized photo of an original Ruckers wreath is included. Drawing dimensions: 2009mmx829mm |
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Lid, lid flap and front flap decoration of above for use with Ruckers papers |
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Drawing 3 - 'French' Ruckers harpsichord lid, lid flap and front flap decorations The drawing shows the decoration and Latin mottoes of each section of the lid along with the line decorations, spacings and dimensions. This decoration is intended for use with Ruckers papers. Drawing dimensions: 2670mmx806mm |
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Drawing 4 - Ruckers spinett virginal This is a drawing of the mother part of the mother and child virginal in the Castello Sforzesco, Milan. This is one of the few surviving spinett virginals (which pluck nearer to the nut like a harpsichord rather than about one-third of the way along the string as the muselar virginals do). I have attributed this instrument Ioannes Ruckers and dated it to the period around 1599 on stylistic bases as well as from the serial number written on various part of the instrument. Drawing dimensions: 2540mm long x820mm wide |
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Drawing 5 - Ruckers spinett virginal soundboard and front flap decoration The layout and detail of the soundboard decoration and the front flap lettering and decoration of the 1599 Ioannes Ruckers spinett virginal for Drawing 4 above. The decoration of the rosette wreath is not included on the drawing but a full-sized photo of an original Ruckers virginal wreath is included. Drawing dimensions: 1730mm x775mm |
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Drawn by Andrea di Maio |
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Drawing 6 - Polygonal virginal by Dominicus Pisaurensis, Venice, c.1565 An unsigned and undated polygonal virginal attributed to Dominicus Pisaurensis, c.1555. This drawing was made by Andrea di Maio. Drawing dimensions: 2530mm long x x1030mm wide |
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Drawing 7 - Flemish harpsichord stand The 'classic' Flemish harpsichord stand made of rushed and fumed European oak. Have a look at a photo of this stand. Drawing dimensions: 1240mmx820mm |
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Drawing 8 - Flemish table harpsichord stand A number of Ruckers instruments have stands based on this type of design. The measurements of a Flemish table made in Antwerp were adapted to design a stand for the 'French' Ruckers double-manual harpsichord listed above. Drawing dimensions: 850mmx850mm |
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Drawing 9 - Flemish virginal stand This stand is almost identical to the stand under the well-known 1650 Ioannes Couchet muselar virginal in the Vleeshuis Museum, Antwerp with only a few modifications. Drawing dimensions: 850mmx850mm |
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Drawing 10 - Venetian harpsichord or virginal stand This is a 'classic' Venetian harpsichord stand. But it could be used under a harpsichord from anywhere in Italy. By reducing the dimensions of the legs and feet, a harpsichord bench could be made in the same style as the stand. Dimensions: 830mmx700mm |
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Drawing 11 - Italian single-manual harpsichord Naples, c. 1630 AutoCAD drawing of a single-manual Neapolitan harpsichord with a disposition of 2x8', originally with a compass of C/E to c3 with a split D/F# and E/G#, and later altered to C,D to c3 . Brass stringing at normal pitch (A415). All of the original, intermediate and the modern restored states are distinguished in different colours. There is everything here you need to make a copy of the instrument! AutoCAD drawing made by Johnny Bell. Drawing Dimensions: 3000mm long by 850mm wide |
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Drawing 12 - Harpsichord or virginal bench to match the Venetian stand (Drawing Number 10) This is based on the Venetian harpsichord stand (Drawing Number 10) which has been reduced to give a bench in the same style as the stand. Drawing Dimensions: 900mm wide by 550mm high |
How to make your payment for the drawings
Buy a signed copy of my book Ruckers. A harpsichord and virginal building tradition
