Artist/Maker

Gütter, Johann Georg – Attributed

Place Made

Date Made

1800-1810

Medium

undetermined wood –leather –horn

Dimensions

LOA 23; DOA 1 1/2″ WOA (with curve) 2″

Accession Number

Z-102

Description

The Zink is an instrument that was developed during the Medieval period. This example was owned by the Moravian Church.

DESCRIPTION: A wooden curved zink or cornett covered with leather. It has seven holes. The mouthpiece and end piece is made of horn.

History

REMARKS: Curved form, main body octagonal, covered in brown leather. At lower end of instrument, 3 black rings or progressively larger width, largest at bottom, Bottom piece (of horn) badly decayed–may have been added to lengthen instrument, yet interior of instrument shows no joint.

Viewing instrument from bottom, one can see that maker has made last 13.2mm of inst. a round tenon-like extension of main body, not octagonal. A sort of round-turned tenon on bottom, to which a decorative round, turned piece of horn was screwed on. Horn badly decayed.

Upper end–mp made of same material as end piece. Also decayed. Top piece of same material (horn), decayed. At upper end of octagonal section, 3 black rings, as at bottom. These rings are graduated in width, with largest at top.

Thumbhole and six fingerholes.

In spite of what Pressley says, there is no signature or other markings. The only marking on the instrument is “Z-102”, the inventory number.

All holes are undercut. Main tube appears to be a single piece, not two halves glued together. Leather around fingerholes shows very slight wear–indicating the instrument was used.

PITCH: Sounds B-flat, slightly flat, with all holes covered. Plays G slightly flat, with thumbhole and second finger. Possibly this is not reliable because of chipped mouthpiece.

Credit Line

Wachovia Historical Society Collection