Hurdy-gurdy

'A small sized, highly ornamented instrument, made no doubt as a drawing-room toy. Guitar-shaped body of sycamore. The belly is edged with a band of tortoiseshell with silver and brass piqué work, and has two roses of pierced and stamped silver with sun motifs. The tailpiece, wheel-guard, and keybox lid are likewise decorated, the last having a central panel of reddish-brown lacquer also inlaid with a floral design. On the wheel-guard, a garland within which is a trophy of musical instruments. The main keys are similarly decorated. The short keys are set with paste imitation stones, as are the six ivory pegs. The finial of the pegbox is finely carved in wood with the figure of a woman, her neck and head being of ivory. Her open gown is pulled back to form the sides of the pegbox, while her petticoat forms the top which holds the pegs.' Anthony Baines, Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum: Part II: Non-Keyboard Instruments (London, 1978), p. 27.