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MYSTERY INSTRUMENT: What are these antique dulcimer things?

I recently won these two instruments in an eBay auction. The seller said that these were found in a Massachusetts house from 1900 that was being demoed. No other information was given.

First, here's a video tour around them both:

The instruments appear to be handmade and are very similar in construction. One is 26" long and the other (with a protruding headstock horn) is 28".

They both feature 18.5" scale lengths, a metal "pickguard" area and body depths between 1.5" and 1.75". Tuning is via traditional zither pins.

Each instrument features a fretted area and a drone string area. The frets are made from bent wire that is inserted into holes in the soundboard. The longer instrument features four strings that are fretted and four strings that are drone. The shorter has three fretted strings and four drones.

Note the long 16 penny nail used as a bridge.

The biggest difference between the two is the number of strings and the headstock shape:

Even the soundholes are similar, apparently made by carving an "X" into the soundboard and then adding additional flourishes.

The headstocks and butt ends are separate from the body and were glued on. You can see the details in the picture of the instruments backs:

These instruments are inspiring me to create my own version. Perhaps an electric version using a 2x4 and pickups?

So what is it? Did I buy a holy grail? Post your observations, conclusions and comments below!

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Permalink Reply by Moritz Voegeli on April 25, 2017 at 3:57am

Tennessee Music Boxes? With the typical sheet of tin where you hit the strings?

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Permalink Reply by Grandpa on April 25, 2017 at 4:08am

Mesopotamian lap steels? Perhaps. Perhaps not. O.k., almost certainly not. Cool dulcimers, though. I just like saying Mesopotamian.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on April 25, 2017 at 4:13am

My first guess is Scheitholt or Tennessee Music Box with the partial frets. But I've never seen one of those or any dulcimer with the sympathetic/drone strings. Those are similar to what's on a sitar. Someone may have been experimenting and combining a couple of different ideas. Fretted zither is a name for many instruments and that's what I'd call these if pressed to do so.

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Permalink Reply by Moritz Voegeli on April 25, 2017 at 4:33am

On http://home.usit.net/~sandyc/mb.html a photo of a Tennessee Music Box with one string fretted and three drone strings.

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Permalink Reply by Andrew Corl on April 25, 2017 at 4:36am

Some type of Bowed Psaltery.

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Permalink Reply by Seth Kent on April 25, 2017 at 4:58am

Looks like stuff I saw in Hungary.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on April 25, 2017 at 4:59am

The one with the more triangular headstock appears to be missing a zither pin (see the hole?), and was probably also originally a 4-stringer. Both instruments appear to be dulcimer fretted. They both appear to be resonating chamber boxes made from 1/4" planks for top and bottom, and perhaps the same for the 3/4"-1" tall / wide sides. You wouldn't make this from a 2x4, at least, it an acoustic version, although an electric should definitely be doable.

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Permalink Reply by Rooster Reaves on April 25, 2017 at 5:05am

Those are French dulcimers.

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Permalink Reply by Rooster Reaves on April 25, 2017 at 5:10am

Lark in the Morning were selling some that looked real similar. They were French forget the name of them but, might look and see if they still sell them. Sound real nice.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on April 25, 2017 at 5:21am

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on April 25, 2017 at 5:23am

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on April 25, 2017 at 5:28am

These two are labelled as Zithers and contain some of the same elements as yours. The drawing is called Old Style Zither and the other is obviously factory made. I agree with Ron's assessment of the construction but I think an acoustic copy could certainly be made with a 2 x 4 if you remove a thin piece for the top and then hollow out the remaining piece. That's probably way more work than simply building the box with 1/4"stock.