I can not tell from this photograph whether the tone bars are made of wood or metal but the layout looks very similar to that of a hammered dulcimer.
I have seen a few contemporary hybrids of xylophones and metallophones set up to play like a hammered dulcimer but this instrument clearly predates them.
Does anyone know anything about this instrument?
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Cor van Sliedregt
This is a so-called straw-fiddle or four-row xylophone.
The older type of xylophone, common in Bulgaria {Balkan} and Switzerland where it’s named: Hölzener G’lachter {translated: laughing wood}
Basic tuned in the key of G, having two chromatic scales with a few notes below and above.
Doug Berch
Thank you for the information!
Doug Berch
Daniel J Gellert: Now that’s entertainment! Thanks for the info, Dan. Hope to see you two sometime soon!
Daniel J Gellert
A very long time ago (1960’s?) I saw on TV a Hungarian (or Romanian?) circus act which included a young girl who played a xylophone which had bars arranged like cimbalom strings, using cimbalom hammers– while she was standing on her head!