The Jews-Harp in Britain and Ireland

Drawing upon previously unknown written sources and piecing together thousands of fragments of information spanning hundreds of years, Michael Wright tells the story of the jews-harp’s long history in the Britain and Ireland. Beginning with a chapter describing the instrument, he then looks at the various theories of its ancient origin, how it came to be in Europe, terminology, and its English name. He goes on to explore its commercial exploitation and the importance of the export market in the development of manufacturing and looks at the instrument’s appearance and use in art, literature and the media. Finally he considers the many players who have used the instrument throughout its long history.