Alpine Zither - Image 3

This custom-built Arion harp zither (a type of Alpine zither) was made for Emma Wellisch (1862-1951), a prominent zither virtuoso in St Paul, Minnesota. Wellisch, a German-speaking immigrant, began playing the zither as a child in the 1870s. She later became a prominent zither virtuoso in the twin cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul and served in various administrative positions on the board of the Minneapolis Zither Society. The instrument rests on its original zither table designed and patented by Franz Schwarzer in 1893 to embellish the zither's sound, as well as hold the instrument when being played.