Musical Instruments, Historic, Rare and Unique

This volume offers a vivid tour of the world’s most unusual and beautifully crafted musical instruments, from medieval European lutes to exotic Asian zithas. By pairing careful historical notes with striking colour plates, it reveals how makers have married sound with visual splendor, treating each instrument as a work of art as much as a tool for music. Readers gain a sense of how decorative styles echo the societies that produced them, showing that a violin’s curve or a koto’s lacquer can tell a story beyond its notes.

The author, a noted antiquarian, guides the listener through forty‑eight richly coloured plates drawn by William Gibb, each accompanied by concise yet erudite commentary. Highlights include the painted soundboards of Antwerp virginals, the ornate cases of 19th‑century pianos designed by artists such as Alma Tadema, and the delicate filigree of Siamese and Japanese instruments that survived centuries of change. Along the way, the book reflects on how the pursuit of beauty in instrument making has waxed and waned, inviting modern audiences to appreciate both sound and sight.