This instrument was Invented by Thomas Perry of no. 6 Angelsea road, Dublin in about 1750, although Richard Duke who it is believed influenced Perry or had worked with him at some point has an earlier dated instrument similar to a Quinton and a Perry but with a watch key mechanism, This is a copy I have made of a 1777 Cither Viol by Thomas Perry that I measured up in the museum in Kildare Street in 1978 and then later made a more thourough examination and recorded internal dimensions with a hacklinger guage, I can now get an exact copy of the machines on the original or I can use a watch key mecanisn or can use violin pegs, this one has lightweight machines and bent back like the originals,I first got interested in this isrtrument in 1978 when I was studying in Northern Renaissance instruments in Manchester, after measuring and drawing an outline of all the parts I set about making a mould which I did not use for 27 years when I finally got started, it took another 6 years to complete the first one, I can make many variations of this a 10 string like this one or an 8 string like a hardinger thats 4 playing and 4 sympathetic or a 6 string version that was in the victoria and Albert museum, or a 5 string violin viola, I am open for any chalenges, do you Want an Irish Hand Made instrument like this? contact me at pauldoyleinstruments.com and we can design an instrument just for you,email is pauldoyle38a@yahoo.com telephone 0035391566948 Mobile 0892126744,this is what they sound like on an original 1769 instrument played by Gerald Trimble who is leading the hunt with me to find out all about this wonderfull instrument,,,