Washington, Missouri
Franz Schwarzer

Wood, rosewood, ivory, metal, mother of pearl 
ca. 1890’s
Length: 23 in, Width: 10 in, Depth: 1.5 in
Strings – Zithers

Bears an original label and signed: Franz Schwarzer, Washington, Missouri

This Alpine zither (Concert Zither Style A) by Franz Schwarzer (1828 – 1904) was made in Washington, Missouri.  It has 35 strings (5 melody and 30 accompaniment).  In the spring of l866, Franz Schwarzer, later known as Missouri’s ‘Zither King’ and his wife, Josephine, emigrated from Austria to America.  They bought land in Missouri from a land grant agent in New York.  When they arrived, they found a two-room log cabin with dirt floors.  Schwarzer was not much of a pioneer and within a year they moved to a nearby town named Washington, located on the Missouri River. 

Schwarzer began as a furniture maker and on occasion fabricated a zither for one of his friends.  He became very active in the town and was elected as Washington’s first Fire Chief.  In the meantime, his reputation as a zither maker began to spread.  He eventually opened a factory in 1869, where ultimately it employed 25 workmen.  In 1873, Schwarzer entered three of his zithers at the Vienna Exposition.  For his entries, he received the highest award at the fair, the “Gold Medal of Progress.”