ZITHER

Description: WOOD BODY & FRAME, 31 STEEL STRINGS. FACE OF INSTRUMENT HAS APPLIED STRIP ILLUSTRATING THE NOTES OF EACH STRING. AROUND SOUND PORT IS DECORATIVE ILLUSTRATION INCLUDES 2 HARPS & 2 LUTES. ABOVE IS ILLUSTRATION OF HARP & HARPIST & 2 LITTLE GIRLS IN LONG DRESSES. PRINTED ON ILLUSTRATION IS: "COPYRIGHT 1899 J.I. AUSTIN & CO. CHI." & "P.P. AWALT, MANAGER" INSIDE PORT IS A DECAL: "THE MELODIA ZITHER NO.2 PRICE 7.50" "MANUFACTURED BY 'OSCAR' SCHMIDT MUSICAL HOUSE JERSEY CITY, N.J. BERLIN GER." STRINGS RUSTED, BOTTOM PIECE LOOSE. SEE CONSERVATION REPORT.

History: DONOR SAYS INSTRUMENT BELONGED TO GRANDMOTHER WHO LIVED SOUTH OF FOREMOST ON A FARM. IT HAS BEEN IN THE FAMILY SINCE FIRST PURCHASED. BELIEVED BOUGHT THROUGH A CATALOG. *UPDATE* IN 2015 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. THOUGH UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE IDENTITY OF THE GRANDMOTHER OF JOHN WILLIAMS, THE DONOR OF THIS HARP, SHE WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY WILLIAMS' PARENTS AS ELIAS R. AND EFFIE G. WILLIAMS. THE WILLIAMS HAD A FARM NEAR LUCKY STRIKE, AND JOHN'S 1917 BIRTH IS REGISTERED IN GALT ARCHIVES RECORD 20101038000, THE LUCKY STRIKE VITAL STATICS RECORDS. ELIAS PASSED AWAY IN 1937, AND EFFIE IN 1972. JOHN WILLIAMS EARNED A BACHELOR OF COMMERCE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA, AND BECAME A CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT IN 1946. HE AND HIS WIFE ANNA SETTLED IN LETHBRIDGE, WHERE HE WAS ONE OF ONLY THREE ACCOUNTANTS WORKING IN THE CITY. WILLIAMS WAS ACTIVE WITH MANY LOCAL CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS INCLUDING THE JAYCEES, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, MASONIC ORDER, SHRINERS, CHINOOK CLUB, LETHBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND SERVED AS BOTH PRESIDENT AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF THE KIWANIS CLUB DURING HIS 45 YEARS OF MEMBERSHIP. JOHN WILLIAMS DIED ON DECEMBER 27, 1994. SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR HARDCOPIES OF THE WILLIAMS' OBITUARIES.