tin fiddles in England and Scotland

Subject: tin fiddles in England and Scotland
From: The Sandman
Date: 20 Oct 07 - 07:41 AM

Tin fiddles were common in Donegal,Is there any information or evidence that they were used amongst travellers or tinkers in Scotland, England, or Wales.
I wondered if Jim Carroll had come across their use whilst collecting in the UK.

Subject: RE: tin fiddles in England and Scotland
From: greg stephens
Date: 20 Oct 07 - 07:59 AM

There is a tin cello in the Potteries Museum, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. Quite where or when it was made I don't know.

Subject: RE: tin fiddles in England and Scotland
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 20 Oct 07 - 01:21 PM

There is an iron cello in the Saffron Walden Museum. "Made by Thomas Barker, a Wimbish blacksmith, about 1830." It was played in a concert this year, along with various other instruments they've got there - Here

I wasn't there, so I don't know what it sounded like. Probably not bad. I can't see why metal string instruments shouldn't sound OK.

Subject: RE: tin fiddles in England and Scotland
From: Cruiser
Date: 20 Oct 07 - 01:38 PM

Why, that would be from those people over there had (have?) tin ears...

"an insensitivity to melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic variety in music."