I was reading old copies of the magazine “The Musician” from 1913 and I came across this advertisement from Lyon and Healy. Take a look at those prices: one double action harp only $775! Wow! The ‘double action harp’ (the only kind of pedal harp readily available now) ran anywhere from $12,000 to $126,000 as of 2012.
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Twin-Cities harpist Stephanie Claussen invites audiences to explore new locales and eras through her music. Influenced by her love of fairy tales, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the world music section at her local library, she performs a unique mixture of Scottish tunes, J.S. Bach, and anything rich in medieval or French harmonies. Sign up for her e-mail newsletter to receive important announcements and notifications of upcoming performances.
2 comments
eschminke
What a neat find. Seriously, talk about appreciation. I wonder if a harp bought in 1913 could still be played today. Those poor things are under a lot of pressure–it’d need pristine environmental care… humid, dark, dust-free, etc. Now– to find myself a harp for only $800….
Stephanie Claussen
I especially love how Lyon and Healy advertised itself then as the “Undisputed World’s Standard” for a quarter century. It seems so quaint next to their current count: 120 years of experience!