122.12 Lamellaphones with laced-on or hooked-in lamellae with resonator

This lamellaphone is carved from wood with pokerwork decoration. The rectangular, box-like body is the resonator of the instrument which amplifies the sound. Its eight lamellae (keys) are made from cane, which are rounded at the ends and arranged in a irregular stepped v-shape, with a longer eighth lamella on the extreme right. According to Soederberg, this type of sansa is found in "Southeast Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon and the Lower Congo" (1972:28-29) and the Horniman register lists this sansa's provenance as Nigeria, 'bought from Dr. Wallach'. The sansa has a curved wooden 'plectrum?', also with pokerwork decoration.

object
MUSEUM NUMBER
26.116
PLACE
COLLECTION
CATEGORY
Musical Instruments
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Collection Information

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