A reader of the web site shared this photo of a Franz Schwarzer zither. Without a serial number, and having a maker's label citing his award at the Vienna Exposition of 1873, it can be dated after this event to July, 1885, the month when he began to place serial numbers on his instruments.

What are those characters in the second fret space???

Rudy

It looks to me to be an "a" under the g string and an "e" where the d string should be. At some point in time it seems that someone used chalk to mark notes on the fretboard. Good eye, Rudy.

Dave

The German-American community in the Milwaukee is blessed with the talents of Anton Daube, one of the few remaining hand engravers in the States.

The engraving on the griff string machine of the un-numbered Schwarzer also appears to be the work of a hand engraver; a couple of the background "pearls" are just slightly out of place and into the field of the "feather". Virtually every square micron of the surface, however, is covered by some engraving,

except

the oval on the right hand side. Was some information peviously on this surface at some point in time? Do other earlier Schwarzers have a similar surface, with perhaps an engraved name??? Hmmm.

Rudy

...and the chalked letters seem to go right up the griffbrett.

Rudy