Hammered dulcimer

This instrument, known to have been in the donor's family for 100 years, was used in Cam, Chalford, or probably in Bedfordshire. It is a dulcimer built in a trapeziform-shaped wooden soundbox, with 22 quadruple-course steel strings (4 strings for each bridge). Each string spans the instrument twice (from tuning-pin to hitch-pin, and back to another tuning-pin), therefore, the instrument has 88 iron-alloy vertical tuning pins, and 44 copper-alloy hitch pins, mounted on hardwood blocks. The soundbox had two circular soundholes on top. The bridges are of chessmen type and have metal rod saddles on top (3 missing). The hammers (beaters) are missing. The long base side has a brass handle and a cloth cover attached.