23. Hitchcock spinet: Plan view.
24. Hitchcock spinet: Top view. Photo: Robert Lautman.
Harpsichord, about 1743; made by Burkat Shudi, London Two manuals; Range FF-f3 (no FF♯; 2×8′, 1×4′, lute, buff
Most of the stops on early harpsichords were changed by hand. From left to right, the stop knobs shown in Figure 25 operate the following registers: lute, octave (4′), buff (muting the second unison by pressing soft leather pads against the strings), first unison (8′), and second unison (8′). The lute stop plays from the upper manual, the first unison from both manuals, and the remaining stops from the lower manual.
Figures 25 and 26 show the instrument before restoration. The name batten on which the date of 1747 appears is not original to the instrument. The date of the instrument is based on the serial number 144 stamped on the lower keyboard. From all records it appears Shudi would have built an instrument with that serial number in 1743.