The structure of the database entries
[heading]
The heading contains a brief definition of the instrument: inventory number, name of the instrument, maker, place of manufacture, dating.
The name of the maker is given in the order of given name(s), surname. In the case of names with alternate versions, the catalogue uses the versions that were employed by the makers themselves (in writing or in their signatures). If the version used by a maker is unknown, the choice of surname is based on frequency of incidence in the sources and literature or in accordance with other conventions and customs. Manufacturers with the same given name and surname are differentiated by Roman numerals in parentheses, and the ordering of the Roman numerals is chronological.
The place of manufacture is always given with current geographical nomenclature. Names of towns that differ from their usual English equivalents are separated by a slash after the language of the original (e.g. Wien / Vienna; Nürnberg / Nuremberg).
Dating: the dates of the maker’s birth and death are shown as a range of years, i.e. “year of birth – year of death”. If the year of birth or death is not known, the unknown year is replaced by a question mark (e.g. 1890–?). If neither year is known and a more detailed dating is not possible, the range is defined to the level of the century (e.g. 1st half of the 18th century; turn of the 19th and 20th centuries). In some cases where these dates are not known, there are known dates that approximate the year of birth or death (e.g. date of apprenticeship, retirement etc.), allowing the defining of the maker’s lifespan by a range of years with the use of the following abbreviations: a = ante (before), c = circa (approximately), p = post (after).
The same rules apply to the dating of the manufacture of instruments. If a date is not shown directly in the instrument’s signature, the dating is deduced generally from the dating of the maker’s birth and death or more concretely from the period of the maker’s activity or from other significant indicators typical for a definite creative period (place of manufacture, method of inscription of the signature etc.). For anonymous instruments, we use as our basis for determining dating a characterisation of the type of instrument and comparisons with similar specimens in other collections in Europe and around the world.
[description]
A detailed description of the instrument covers all of its significant features, characteristic properties, and deviations from the type of instrument in question. The description attempts to be comprehensive to substitute for or to supplement visual documentation to some degree.
[signature]
The signature of the makeris defined in two ways: by the transcription of the signature and its description. The transcription gives the exact, literal wording of the signature used by the maker. The dividing of the signature into multiple rows is shown in the transcription by a vertical line (|). Illegible places in the signature are replaced in the transcription by a group of symbols “[…?…]”, the uncertain reading of a word in a signature is indicated by a question mark in square brackets immediately after the illegible word (e.g. … Prague[?] anno …). A description supplements this information with a characterisation of the execution of the signature, a description of decorations, and other individual details that characterise the signature in question.
[dimensions]
Dimensions of the instrument and of individual parts are based on a standardised outline for individual types of instruments. Dimensions are given in millimetres. The symbol ø is used to indicate diameter, while other measured values are defined in words.
- For string instruments, three lengths are given (if the sound holes do not have notches, string length and body stop length are only approximate):
- string length: the sounding length of the strings, i.e. the distance from the bridge (or F-holes) to the nut;
- neck stop length: distance from the edge of the top plate to the nut
- body stop length: distance from the upper edge to notches of the f-holes
- The length and width of the body of bowed and plucked chordophones are measured on the back plate unless stated otherwise.
- The height of the ribs of bowed and plucked chordophones is measured: a) without the top and back plates if the top and back plates extend beyond the ribs; b) including both plates if they do not extend beyond the ribs.
- The total length of the air column of wind instruments is measured using a string.
[material]
The description of material components defines the materials used for individual parts of the instrument, but only in cases where this is clear. In cases of uncertain identification of the material used, detailed analyses of the materials were not performed, and the material is described only generally or with a degree of probability on the basis of experience and comparison.
[condition]
The description of the instrument’s condition records mainly parts and components that are missing or are not original, mentions obvious or documented repairs and alterations of the object, and lists restoration or preservation work, if known.
[maker]
Information about the makers is conceived as brief profiles. If makers are widely known or there is enough available literature about them, the entry is limited to basic information about the maker and information of relevance to the instrument in question.
[references]
The list of references to an instrument is divided into unpublished and published sources.
Unpublished sources mainly include written or iconographical archival sources. Institutions where items are preserved are identified by their siglum in accordance with RISM international standards or by a different abbreviation in accordance with the list of abbreviations. The listing of unpublished references does not mention the museum’s documentation of ownership for the collection (Acquisition Logs, inventory books, catalogue cards). Published references are ordered chronologically, and their listing attempts to be complete.
[comments]
Comments give more context of some relevance to the instrument itself of to the circumstances of its making, its maker etc.