Siamese Xylophone (Ranat Ek.)

FROM CARD: "ALSO CATALOGUED UNDER NO. 27,321. A HARMONICON OF WOOD, RESEMBLING THE PATTALA OR PATOLAH OF BURMAH. THIS INSTRUMENT CONTAINS TWENTY-TWO SONOROUS STRIPS OF BAMBOO, STRUNG ON A DOUBLE CORD OVER AN OPEN SOUNDING BOX SHAPED LIKE A BOAT. THE LARGEST STRIP IS 14 1/2 X 2 INCHES, THE SHORTEST 12 3/4 X 1 3/4 INCHES. THE ROUNDISH OUTSIDE OF THE BAMBOOS IS UPPERMOST. THEY RETAIN THEIR ORIGINAL THICKNESS AT THE ENDS, BUT ARE THINNED AND SCOOPED OUT TOWARDS THE MIDDLE, AND IT IS BY THIS METHOD OF THINNING AND HOLLOWING THEM THAT THE REQUIRED PITCH OF TONE FOR EACH IS OBTAINED. THE INSTRUMENT IS PLAYED WITH TWO LITTLE STICKS ABOUT 14 INCHES LONG TERMINATING IN WOODEN BUTTONS WOUND WITH TWINE. THE SOUND IS PLEASANT, RESEMBLING THAT OF THE XYLOPHONE. "THOUGH ITS MATERIALS ARE OF NO VALUE, A GOOD OLD PATTALA IS PRIZED BY ITS OWNER LIKE A GOOD OLD CREMONA, AND HE CAN RARELY BE INDUCED TO PART WITH IT." - (CAPT. HENRY YULE.) 8/8/1967 RETURNED FROM THAI EMBASSY WITH THE ADDITION OF NEW SUSPENSION CORD AND 2 NEW STICKS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LOAN AGREEMENT. STICKS ARE NUMBERED A & B."

SI ARCHIVE DISTRIBUTION DOCUMENTS SAY SENT TO MRS. JC BROWN. 1887.

Illustrated and described in McQuail, Lisa. 1997. "Treasures of Two Nations: Thai Royal Gifts to the United States of America" Smithsonian Institution. p. 129

Described in Taylor, Paul & William Bradford Smith, 2017. Instruments of Diplomacy: 19th Century Musical Instruments in the Smithsonian Collection of Thai Royal Gifts. In The Journal of the Siam Society. 105: 245-272. Described on page 263, with photo on page 264 (fig 16, with incorrect catalog number 27320).

30 Jul 2020

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