18th Century Kettledrum - Page 1

Posts: 410 Threads: 32

I recently visited the Metropolitan Museum in New York. They have a nice musical instruments wing and I came across this German kettledrum from 1779. It’s made entirely of silver and was built for the Hanoverian Royal Lifeguard Regiment of King George III. There were a pair of drums and they would have been played on horseback. Other than being huge, it’s amazing how the similar the tension rods are to today’s design – over 230 years later. Talk about vintage drums!

1 attachment

Kettle.jpg

87.3 kB

60's Gretsch Round Badge 22/13/16
'71 Ludwig B/O Badge 20/12/13/14/16
'72 Ludwig B/O Badge Jazzette 18/12/14
'65 Rogers Holiday 20/12/16

Posted on 12 years ago

calfskin

Member

Joined 15 years ago

Posts: 1570 Threads: 66

There really isn't much new under the sun is there. From a technical point of view, it would be interesting to hear the difference betwen a silver drum and a copper one. I do a little with flutes and a silver flute is very different than a nickel silver one or a silver plated one. There is a mellowness and breadth to a silver flute that not even a Grenadilla or Ebony one can match------wonder how that would translate into drums?

Posted on 12 years ago

calfskin

Member

Joined 15 years ago

Posts: 1570 Threads: 66

There really isn't much new under the sun is there. From a technical point of view, it would be interesting to hear the difference betwen a silver drum and a copper one. I do a little with flutes and a silver flute is very different than a nickel silver one or a silver plated one, or even a wooden one. There is a mellowness and breadth to a silver flute that not even a Grenadilla or Ebony one can match and other metals , with the possible exception of Gold( never heard one) are shrill by comparison------wonder how that would translate into drums?

Posted on 12 years ago

18th Century Kettledrum Last viewed: 12 hours ago