Owner: HWMC
Catalog#: 2CL-CHLT-096

Provenance:  From the private collection of William Row

Conservation & Restoration by Andy Ploof, Music Folk – St. Louis, MO

Miscellaneous Lutes

Croatian ‘Tamburica – Berda’

Croatia
Maker Unknown

Wood, pigment, mother-of-pearl, metal strings, metal
Late-19th century
Height: 72 in, Width: 37.5 in, Depth: 7.25 in
Strings – Lutes – Miscellaneous Lutes

This is a Croatian tamburica ( tamburitza )  berda (bass) with four thick wire strings, and a long-fretted neck.  It is made in the shape of a guitar and traditionally played with a pick. The tamburica originated as a peasant folk instrument and today is the national folk instrument of the Croatian people.  It is also the name for the family of stringed instruments that come in five basic sizes and shapes.  The tamburica is a common folk instrument throughout Croatia, Vojvodina, parts of Serbia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. 

This bass tamburica is primarily made of a light stained wood, with a dark head and neck. It rests on a short, thick peg at the bottom, and has mother of pearl inlay on the top and bottom of the face as well as trim along the body.

Reference: http://www.detroittamburitzaorchestra.com/index.php/what-is-a-tamburitza

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