[ I asked Will to write a short report about his collection of
 [ zither-like instruments, dubbed "zitheroids" recently by Jurgen
 [ Goering.  Most of these aren't really a self-playing mechanical
 [ music instrument, but they're frequently seen in collectors homes,
 [ nearby fine music boxes and orchestrions.   -- Robbie

Wow, I just learned that my short report has become a day-long project,
and an epistle.

My dad gave me a reproduction of the 1902 Sears Roebuck catalog number
111.  Pages 200 and 201 show instruments like those we've been
discussing.  Page 203 shows two "Zitho-harps".  They have the low note
strings at right angles to the melody strings, instead of parallel like
the others.

Page 200 shows five autoharps.  Page 201 shows four zithers, and two
Mandolin-Guitar-Zithers, such as my instrument #4 described below.
It is here called "The Deweylin harp - the wonder of the age", and
sold for $3.45 and $4.45.

On page 201 are four Columbia Zithers; one of them, "No. 2 and 1/4",
at price $2, looks exactly like my #2 and #3 instruments, so the names
do vary, even for identical instruments.  Maybe you are right with
"zitheroid."

There is also a Banjo-Mandolin that looks like a 8-string banjo.
I have a similar looking banjo, but 4 strings, made from a three metal
castings, including the parchment ring.  The frets are cast into the
neck.  The only markings are "Dixie, Patent pending, Made in USA."
It doesn't even bother with a name!

I  have found four of my instruments, but not the one with the lead
weights acting as hammers which had an assembly resembling my #4,
replacing the button sliding assembly.  It's whereabouts is a mystery.

Also unlocated is the Harmolin, with the roller pick; the dampers are
somewhere, as it needed repair.  A leaky air conditioner soaked it for
three years and wrecked the case and rusted it.

The instruments are all about 22 inches long, 17 or 18 inch longest
strings, and 7 inches for the short strings.  They are 13 to 15 inches
broad.  This is the same as the catalog's size ranges.

I will attempt to describe four of my instruments:

#1:  "Patented May 29, 1894".  Sound hole paper says only: "Mandolin
Harp".  It has two holes for a music stand holder; probably a coat
hanger wire would fit.  The basic color is reddish paint, like violins.

A music clef symbol is shown, with the notes in place as well as numbers
for the 15 strings.  The chords are (the first string lower toned):

  cgce; ggbf; facf; aace; cdefgabcdefgabc
  -- 15 strings, no sharps or flats.

The string tension has caused the soundboard and end piece to pull
loose, sometime in the last 10 years, but the others are all remarkably
in tune, and solid.

The glue was only in very small spots, and apparently the two nails were
doing the job for the first 60 years.  The storage room varied from
30 to 90 degrees, and was just a unheated or ventilated room.  Finally
I see why some people release the spring tension.  I think it was poor
gluing during construction.  I still leave my precious balalaika tuned
at all times.  My wife's 90 year old violin has survived nine years at
tension.  However, we keep those near the player piano and rolls, at
60 to 80 degrees and 30 to 50 percent humidity.

#2:  The decal has LYRE with oak wreath and "Menzenhauers Guitar Zither
Pristine" decals and coloring both black with gold trim:  "Patented 
May 29, 1894.  Brevete Gesetzl Geschutzt".  [ The phrase seems to mean
"patent protected by law".  -- Robbie ]

The labeled chords are:

  e,a,c#,a; d,a,f,d#; f,c,a,f; d,b,g,g; e,c,g,c.

The big low string is the last of each of these.

  c,c#,d,e,f,f#,g,g#,a,b,c,c#,d,e,f,f#,g,g#,a,b,e.

A total of 21 strings.  The decal numbering is still 1 to 15, with only
the natural strings counted.  There is gold trim and around the 4-inch
sound hole, which says,  "US Guitar Zither Company, Menzenhauer and
Schmidt", with the rest faded.  "Office and factory 34-41 Ferry street,
Jersey City, New Jersey.  Sole manufactures of the Menzenhauer and
Schmidt Number 2 and a half.  Instruments will be sold through our
agents only."

#3 is identical to #2 but the decals are more faded.

I have determined that the tuning for eastern European music (mostly
minor key music) was changed after manufacture by a second home-made
label which changes the bottom two chords to

 d, b-flat,f,b-flat  and  d,a,f,d  and the strings are tuned
 c,c#,d,d#,e,f,f#,g,g#,a,a#,b,c,c#,d,d#,e,f,f#,g,g#

#4.  The top decal only has "Bell Harp Company, Patent pending".  The
sound hole is about 3 inches diameter; the clear labeling inside says:

  "The bell harp; special advertizing instrument sold through
  demonstrators only.  The Bell Harp Company, Far Rockaway, New York;
  Made in America."

Attached to the sound board is a metal plate that has rollers that allow
a top panel, that contains the labeled 15 key assembly, each button
lowers the pick, as the panel is wiggled sideways to pick the note.

Several keys can be played to make chords, as well as the fixed set of
chords like the other instruments.  The buttons are spring loaded to
return up, but the sliding is manual back and forth as fast as one wants
to make a mandolin sound.  The plucking is about a fifth of the way up
the string, and mid-string on the higher ones.

The low string is the last of these 4 note chords:

  e,a,c#,a; d,a,f#,d; f,c,a,f; d,b,g,g; e,c,g,c.

The key buttons are labeled:

  c,c#,d,e,f,f#,g,g#,a,b,c,c#,d,e,f,f#,g,g#,a,b,c

The sound board decal is just like the first one, but very legible:
lyre, notes, two crossed trumpets.

Will Herzog