85. PEHR KRAFT (instrument maker in Stockholm ca 1780-1807, court instrument maker 1805), lute, late Gustavian, signed inside with printed paper label: “Pet. Kraft Kongl. court. Instrument: maker Stockholm. Nr. 710 A:1803.

Wood, ebony and bone, label marked inside “Maria Scholander-Hedlund played on this lute 1895-1905, herself to comfort and delight”, included later case, length 93,5 cm

PROVENANCE: Composer Sven Scholander (1860-1936), Djursholm
Christopher O'Regan Collection

Christopher tells us:
Mathias Petter/Peter/Pehr Kraft was one of the foremost Swedish instrument makers of the Gustavian period, producing stringed instruments that were used by, among others, none other than Carl Michael Bellman. He also came to create what was called “the Swedish lute”, a development of the cistern with an extra neck with several detached bass strings that allowed for a greater musical span. The lute is dated 1803, and made at his workshop on the corner of Herkulesgränd and Norra Smedjegatan on Norrmalm, an address that is now completely obliterated to both name and street and house, and which today forms the street through Gallerian i City.