Joseph Mahoon Spinet
date: label: date made
content: 1753
name: label: maker
content: Mahoon, Joseph
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: This harpsichord was made by Joseph Mahoon in London, England, in 1753. It is a bentside spinet with a compass of GG - g3, and a disposition of 1 x 8’. This spinet has a spruce soundboard, with ebony naturals with ivory arcaded fronts and ebony covered accidentals. The nameboard is inscribed:" Joseph Mahoon," and the lowest key is marked “1753.”
label: Description (Brief)
content: The inseparable case is made of painted wood with a simulated wood-grain finish. The separate trestle stand is made of made of wood with plain legs.
label: Description (Brief)
content: The spinet was a popular domestic keyboard instrument in England and America during the 18th century. A household that could not afford or did not have room for a full-sized harpsichord or organ, the spinet became the keyboard of choice.
label: Description (Brief)
content: Joseph Mahoon (fl. 1729-1773) was a prominent spinet and harpsichord maker in London. In 1729, Mahoon (pronounced and sometimes written Moon) was appointed “Harpsichord Maker to His Majestie” (King George II, who reigned from 1725 to 1760).
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United Kingdom: England, London
setName: label: See more items in
content: Culture and the Arts: Musical Instruments
label: See more items in
content: Music & Musical Instruments
label: See more items in
content: Harpsichords
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: Densmore, Frances. Handbook of the Collection of Musical Instruments in the United States National Museum.
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of F. H. Vinton and H. A. Vinton
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: MI.096636
label: accession number
content: 49656
label: catalog number
content: 96636
objectType: label: Object Name
content: harpsichord
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: paint (case material)
label: Physical Description
content: spruce (soundboard material)
label: Physical Description
content: ebony (naturals material)
label: Physical Description
content: ivory (accidentals material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (case material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: instrument: 8 1/2 in x 72 3/4 in x 29 3/4 in; 21.59 cm x 184.785 cm x 75.565 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall: harpsichord: 9 3/4 in x 73 in x 30 1/2 in; 24.765 cm x 185.42 cm x 77.47 cm