Harp making

The harp is one of the oldest musical instruments in the world, dating back to at least 2500 BCE. The earliest harps, found in Ancient Egypt, were bow-shaped or angular with only a few strings. The frame harp, with a straight forepillar, developed in western Europe in the eight century with ten to twelve strings. In the fourteenth century, harps with a curved forepillar, a hollowed soundbox, and 30-36 bass strings developed in Ireland; while in continental Europe the ‘Renaissance harp’ with a thinner and less curved forepillar with 24 or more strings developed. As the harp evolved, the material used for the strings changed from hair or plant fibre, to gut, to stiffer materials such as copper and brass.

Harps continued to develop in style across Europe from the seventeenth century onwards, from double-strung, triple-strung and cross-strung harps, to the single-action pedal and finally the double-action pedal harp, which was patented in 1810 and is still in use today.

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There are a very wide variety of harps found all over the world.

• Lever harps
• Pedal harps

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• Finding suitable younger people who have the dedication to learn the craft
• The cost of training
• Competition from cheap imports, and mass producers
• Just staying viable enough to carry on the craft

• The United Kingdom Harp Association
• The Clarsach Society

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Individual makers:

• Ardival Harps
• Clive Morley Harps Ltd
• Tim Hampson
• Steffan Jones Harps
• Jonathan Letcher, Silver Spear Harps
• Mark Norris
• George Stevens
• Teifi Harps
• Alun Thomas
• Derwent Harps

Crafts businesses that employ two or more makers:

• Pilgrim Harps
• Starfish Harps
• Hand on Harps

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• The International Harp Museum, History of the Harp
• Harp.com, History of the Harp
• HarpHistory.info
• Eydmann, Stuart, In Good Hands