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| Image Credit: State Historical Society of Missouri |
Included in my recent purchase of Schwarzer scans from the State Historical Society of Missouri was this catalog of all the models available during the peak of Schwarzer's firm. This 1898 catalog contains numerous models and levels of ornamentation. The most expensive instrument is equivalent to $3,500 today which reflects the clientele that Franz and his men were building for.
These catalogs are in the public domain due to their age but I would still like to mention that the State Historic Society of Missouri has the original microfilm and I would like to thank them for their work and providing me with full scans of the catalog.
Prime Table Zither No. 1 "A"
- List Price: $10.00 (without folding legs)
- Tuning same as a Concert zither
- Spruce sound board
- Imitation Rosewood finish
- Sides are painted black and polished
- Back is 'dull' black
- Purfling around soundhole
- Rosewood hand rest
- Pearl position dots
- Pasteboard case
Prime Zither
| Photograph is of a special order Prime Zither with ornamentation not seen in the catalog |
- No. 3 (Small Model, without patent heads)
- List Price: $15.00
- Imitation Rosewood top
- Black finished sides and back
- 32 strings
- Pearl position dots
- Pasteboard case
- No. 7 (Large Model, with patent heads)
- List Price: $29.50
- Same as No. 3 except with:
- Engraved nickel tuners
- Wood purfling around soundhole and edges
- Cloth covered and flannel lined wood case
- No. 9
- List Price: $35.00
- Same as above except with:
- Pearl figures inlaid around soundhole
- No. 10
- List Price: $50.00
- Same as as No. 7 except with:
- Brazilian Rosewood veneered top and sides
- Ivoroid bound edges
- No. 11
- List Price: $60.00
- Same as above except with:
- Brazilian Rosewood veneered back
- Colored wood inlaid purfling
- Highly polished
- Leather covered and velvet lined case with nickel trimmings
- No. 12
- List Price: $70.00
- Same as above except with:
- Fancy pearl inlaid around soundhole
- Plated tuning pins
- No. 13
- List Price: $78.00
- Same as above except with:
- Fancy pearl inlaid around top edges
- No. 14
- List Price: $105.00
- Brazilian Rosewood veneered top, sides, and back
- Fancy colored wood inlaid around soundhole and edges
- Ivoroid bound edges
- Inlaied with variegated pearl
- Ornamental designs of ivory, gold, and silver
- Finely engraved gold and silver patent head with pearl buttons
- Leather covered and velvet lined case with nickel trimmings
Concert Zither Style "A" No.17
- List Price: $19.00
- Imitation Rosewood top
- Black finished sides and back
- Wood purfling inlaid around soundhole and edges
- 32 strings
- Pearl position dots
- Pasteboard case
Concert Zither Style "A" No.21
- List Price: $32.00
- Imitation Rosewood top
- Black finished sides and back
- Engraved nickel patent heads
- Wood purfling inlaid around soundhole and edges
- 32 strings
- Pearl position dots
- Canvas covered, flannel lined case with nickel hardware
- Optionally available in a cloth covered, flannel lined case, with leather handle
Concert Zither Style "A" Large Model
- No. 23
- List Price: $39.00
- Imitation Rosewood top
- Black finished sides and back
- Engraved nickel patent head
- Polished steel tuning pins
- 35 strings
- Pearl position dots
- Canvas covered, flannel lined case with nickel hardware
- Optionally available in a cloth covered, flannel lined case, with leather handle
- No. 23-1/2
- List Price: $50.00
- Same as above except with:
- Sides veneered with tulipwood
- Ivoroid bound edges and inlaid wood purflings
- Pearl figures inlaid around soundhole
- Leather covered, velvet lined case with nickel hardware
- No. 24
- List Price: $52.00
- Same as No.23 except with:
- Brazilian Rosewood Burl veneer on top and sides
- Ivoroid bound edges and inlaid wood purflings
- No. 25
- List Price: $64.00
- Same as above except with:
- Brazilian Rosewood Burl veneer on top, back, and sides
- Ivoroid bound edges and inlaid wood purflings
- No. 26
- List Price: $73.50
- Same description as No. 25 except with:
- Fancy pearl figures around soundhole
- Finely plated tuning pins
- No. 27
- List Price: $83.00
- Same description as No. 26 except 'elaborately finished'
- No. 28
- List Price: $112.00
- Brazilian Rosewood Burl veneer on top, back, and sides
- Ivoroid bound edges and fancy, colored inlaid wood purflings
- Inlaid with variegated pearl
- Ornamental designs of ivory, gold, and silver
- Finely engraved gold and silver plated patent heads with pearl buttons
- 35 strings
- Pearl position dots
- Leather covered and velvet lined case with nickel hardware
Concert Zither Style "B"
 |
| Pictured is No. 36 Model first introduced in 1891 |
- No. 31
- List Price: $40.00
- Imitation Rosewood top
- Black finished sides and back
- Engraved nickel patent head
- Inlaid wood purfling around soundhole and edges
- Polished steel tuning pins
- 35 strings
- Pearl position dots
- Cloth covered and flannel lined case
- No. 32
- List Price: $48.00
- Same as above except with:
- Pearl figures inlaid around soundhole and wood purfling around edges
- No. 33
- List Price: $58.00
- Brazilian Rosewood Burl veneer on top
- Sides veneered with Brazilian Rosewood
- Engraved nickel patent head
- Inlaid wood purfling around soundhole and edges
- Ivoroid bound edges
- No. 34
- List Price: $68.00
- Same as above except with:
- Fancy, colored inlaid wood purfling around soundhole and edges
- Leather covered, velvet lined case with nickel trimmings
- No. 35
- List Price: $75.00
- Same as No. 34 except with:
- Fancy pearl figures inlaid around soundhole
- Plated tuning pins
- No. 36
- List Price: $84.00
- Same as No. 34 except with:
- Fancy pearl inlaid around soundhole and top edge
- Fitted with a 'finely carved ebony shell'
- Ornamented scroll
- No. 37
- List Price: $100.00
- Same as above No. 34 except with:
- Fancy, colored inlaid wood purfling around soundhole and edges
- Fitted with a 'finely carved ebony shell' and ornamental scroll
- Finely engraved gold and silver plated patent heads with pearl buttons
- Leather covered, velvet lined case with nickel hardware
Harp Zither Style "A"
 |
| Pictured is No. 45 Model first introduced in 1887 |
- No. 40
- List Price: $55.00
- Imitation Rosewood top
- Black finished sides and back
- Genuine rosewood pillar and scroll
- Engraved nickel patent head
- Polished steel tuning pins
- 38 strings
- Cloth covered and flannel lined case
- No. 41
- List Price: $60.00
- Same as above except with:
- Pearl figures inlaid around soundhole and wood purfling around edges
- No. 43
- List Price: $78.50
- Brazilian Rosewood Burl veneer on top
- Sides veneered with Brazilian Rosewood
- Genuine rosewood pillar and scroll
- Finely carved shell
- Engraved nickel patent head
- Inlaid wood purfling around soundhole and edges
- Ivoroid bound edges
- Polished steel tuning pins
- Cloth covered and flannel lined case
- No. 45 (New Style)
- List Price: $112.00
- Same as above except with:
- Sides veneered with tulip-wood
- Artistically engraved gold and silver plated patent head with pearl buttons
- Fancy, colored inlaid wood purfling around soundhole and edges
- Elaborately inlaid and engraved pearl, metal, and ivory
- Finely carved pillar, shell, and scroll
- Leather covered, velvet lined case with nickel trimmings
- No. 46
- List Price: $134.00
- Same as No. 45 except with:
- Inlaid pearl figures around soundhole and top edge
Harp Zither Style "B"
 |
| Pictured is No. 51 Model first introduced in 1878 |
- 42 Strings
Arion Harp Zither Style "B"
 |
| Pictured is No. 73 Model first introduced in 1882 |
- 42 Strings
- Schwarzer patent aluminum stringholder
Concert Arion Zither Style "A" Large Model
 |
| Pictured is No.62 Introduced in 1881 |
- No. 61
- List Price: $48.50
- Imitation Rosewood top
- Black finished sides and back
- Engraved nickel patent head
- Inlaid wood purflings
- Polished steel tuning pins
- 35 strings
- Schwarzer patent aluminum string holder
- Canvas covered, flannel lined case
- No. 62
- List Price: $55.00
- Same as above except with:
- Pearl figures inlaid around soundhole
- No. 64
- List Price: $65.00
- Same as No.61 except with:
- Brazilian Rosewood Burl veneer on top
- Sides veneered with Brazilian Rosewood
- Ivoroid bound edges
- No. 65
- List Price: $75.00
- Same as above except with:
- Brazilian Rosewood burl on top and bottom
- Colored wood inlaid purfling
- Leather covered, velvet lined case with nickel trimmings
- No. 66
- List Price: $82.00
- Same as above except with:
- Pearl figures inlaid around soundhole
- No. 67
- List Price: $90.00
- Same as above except with:
- Sides veneered with tulipwood
Folding Table Zither
- No. 110
- List Price: $50.00
- 42 Strings
- Polished imitation rosewood top
- Polished steel tuning pins
- Brazilian Rosewood handrest
- Oiled walnut stands
- Papier-mache Case
- No. 112
- List Price: $60.00
- Same as above:
- Sides veneered with Brazilian Rosewood
- Edges bound with white holly
- No. 114
- List Price: $80.00
- Same as above:
- Top veneered with Brazilian Rosewood burl
- Pearl inlaid soundhole
- Ivoroid bound edges
- Colored wood purflings
- Finely finished walnut stands
Elegy or Song Zither
 |
| Pictured is No. 85 |
- No. 80
- List Price: $24.00
- Imitation Rosewood top
- Black bottom and sides
- No patent heads
- 32 Strings
- Polished steel tuning pins
- Cloth covered, flannel lined wood case
- No. 84
- List Price: $34.00
- Same as above except with:
- Engraved nickel patent head
- Wood purfling around soundhole
- Pearl position dots
- No. 85
- List Price: $40.00
- Same as above except with:
- Pearl figures inlaid around soundhole
- No. 86
- List Price: $54.00
- Same as No. 84 except with:
- Top veneered with Brazilian Rosewood burl
- Sides veneered with Brazilian Rosewood
- Ivoroid bound edges
- Inlaid wood purflings
- No. 87
- List Price: $68.00
- Same as above except with:
- Colored wood inlaid purflings
- Leather covered, velvet lined case with nickel hardware
- No. 88
- List Price: $85.00
- Same as above except with:
- Top and bottom veneered with Brazilian Rosewood burl
- Sides veneered with tulipwood
- Fancy pearl figures around soundhole
- Ivoroid bound edges and inlaid fancy colored wood purfling around soundhole, top, and back
Lady Zither
Not Pictured
Schwarzer first introduced the Lady-sized zither in 1878. They are the same shape as the Elegy zithers but are 1-1/2" shorter and tuned in concert pitch. They are also strung with thinner strings making playing easier
- No. 90
- List Price: $30.00
- Imitation Rosewood top
- Black bottom and sides
- Engraved nickel patent heads
- Inlaid wood purfling
- 32 Strings
- Polished steel tuning pins
- Cloth covered, flannel lined wood case
- No. 91
- List Price: $36.00
- Same as above except with:
- Pearl figures around soundhole
- No. 93
- List Price: $52.00
- Same as No. 90 except with:
- Top veneered with Brazilian Rosewood burl
- Sides veneered with Brazilian Rosewood
- Ivoroid bound edges
- Inlaid wood purflings
- Leather covered, velvet lined case
- No. 94
- List Price: $65.00
- Same as above except with:
- Colored wood inlaid purflings
- No. 95
- List Price: $75.00
- Same as above except with:
- Fancy pearl figures inlaid around soundhole
- No. 88
- List Price: $85.00
- Same as No.94 except with:
- Top and bottom veneered with Brazilian Rosewood burl
- Sides veneered with tulipwood
- Fancy pearl figures around soundhole
- Ivoroid bound edges and inlaid fancy colored wood purfling around soundhole, top, and back
Concert Violin Bow Zither
The violin bow zither is played with a bow and the left hand does the fretting. The instrument is placed against the edge of the table with the body resting in the lap (it could also be fitted on a table). They are tuned E, A, D, and G but can be custom ordered in A, D, G, C.
- No. 105
- List Price: $21.00
- Flat top and back
- Top is finished dark red
- Back is imitation rosewood
- No patent heads, plain steel tuning pins
- Schwarzer's patent metal stringholder
- No. 106
- List Price: $26.00
- Same as above except with:
- Engraved nickel patent heads
- Case available for $4.00 extra
- No. 108
- List Price: $42.00
- Same as above except with:
- Arched top and back
- Stained and polished
- Canvas covered case
Cello Bow Zither
Made to order only. The tuning is one octave lower than the Violin bow zither
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