Lamellophone, "mucapata" Zaramo or Kwere, Tanzania... Lot 48

Lamellophone, "mucapata" Zaramo or Kwere, Tanzania Ohne Sockel / without base Wood, iron. H 16 cm. W 11,5 cm. Provenance: Peter Stettler (1939-1998) and Erica Stettler-Schnell (1940-2019). Sanza, "thumb piano", called "mucapata" by the Zaramo. Sanza, "Thumb Piano," called "mucapata" by the Zaramo. The sanza, also known as "thumb piano", originated in Black Africa and belongs to the group of lamellophones. It consists of a board or resonance box to which metal strips are attached, which the musician vibrates to produce sounds. Sanza seem to have appeared twice in Africa according to popular opinion, once on the west coast about 3000 years ago (with slats of bamboo or wood), and a second time in the Zambezi Valley about 1300 years ago (with slats of metal). Widely spread are the Sanza still today in Central Africa (DR Congo, Angola, Zambia...). Due to the low volume, the mostly lovingly designed instruments are rather played on the occasion of intimate events than on big occasions. Further reading: Borel, François (1986). Collections d'instruments de musique. Les Sanza. Neuchâtel: Musée d'ethnographie. ----------------------------------------------------- The collection of non-European art of Peter Stettler and Erica Stettler-Schnell comprised about 500 objects with a focus on small bronzes, thumb pianos and textiles, which they acquired mainly in Switzerland (among others at Maria Wyss in Basel) and in trade in Paris . For more on E. Stettler see "Jahrbuch z'Rieche" (zrieche.ch). CHF 100 / 200 EUR 91 / 182