Bentside spinet

The case is of oak, undecorated. What is probably the original stand, with four turned legs, is preserved with the instrument. The main hinges of the lid are of iron; those of the keyboard cover are of brass. The natural keys are of ebony with fronts that have originally been coated with some composition (perhaps gesso, with a relief pattern) and gilded. The accidentals are of ivory. The two lowest accidentals are divided into front and back parts: the front giving the note proper to short octave tuning (AA and BB) while the back was intended for the proper chromatic note. This keyboard is transitional, belonging to the period when the influence of a short-octave keyboard was still dominant, though the need for the low accidentals was asserting itself. This period extended in general terms from 1660 to 1710.