Washington, Missouri
Franz Schwarzer

Wood, rosewood, ivory, metal, mother of pearl 
ca. 1890’s
Length: 23.25 in, Width: 12.75 in, 
Strings – Zithers

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

This Alpine zither (Concert Zither Style B) by Franz Schwarzer (1828 – 1904) was first introduced in 1891, and was made in Washington, Missouri.  It has 42 strings (5 melody and 37 accompaniment).  It has a fancy pearl inlaid design around the sound hole and all along the edge and opposite side of the fret board.  It is also fitted with a finely carved ebony shell with inlays of MOP and a beautiful, ornamented scroll.  At the top of the fret board just under the strings are the numbers 7614.

 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.”  [This instrument can also be found in this collection.]