Serbia
Custom Hand-made (signed)

Wood, fiber, horsehair, animal hide, bone, pigment
Mid-Late 20th century
Length: 35.25 in, Width: 9.5 in, Depth: 7 in
Strings – Lutes – Miscellaneous Lutes

This is a spectacular Serbian gusle from the Balkan region of Southeastern Europe.  The lute has one light horsehair string with a light animal skin head stretching across a teardrop shaped body. The animal skin is attached to the body using handmade bone nails and the body and neck are carved of a single piece of dark-stained wood (maple). The back of the gusle features a coat of arms with a two-headed eagle, crown, and shield. The neck is also intricately carved and features a flat section just underneath the string with a detailed carved and painted portrait of a man with medals on his vest. The side of the neck just underneath this is signed, and floral patterns continue up the neck to the scroll.

The scroll is stylized into a carving of St. George slaying the dragon, with different levels of stain used to create depth. The dragon is textured using incised stippling, and St. George bears a spear with a cross at the top that is stuck through the dragon’s head.  Just underneath the scroll is a large tuning peg. The gusle’s bridge is unstained and slightly stylized. It also comes with a matching stylized bow with dark horsehair and an etched signature.