Technical Library DECORATION I: Roses Entire Contents Copyright © 2010 CBH

THE PARIS WORKSHOP

Flemish style rose

About Flemish Roses…

All the old Flemish makers had a rose: It was their signature. Many of the Ruckers roses were a representation of an angel playing the lyre, the initials of the maker supported on either side. As the soundboard is vented behind the keyboard, it is unlikely the rose has any noticeable affect on the sound. Rather, its function is purely decorative, providing a focal point for the eye and a beautiful centre of the wreath of flowers if you decide to decorate your soundboard in a traditional manner.

It’s traditional to gild both the cast metal rose and its surrounding chamfer cut in the soundboard with genuine gold leaf. That can be done either before or after the rose is installed in the soundboard.

The rose that we offer from THE PARIS WORKSHOP is inspired by Ruckers models, but instead of the Ruckers initials we have used “TPW”. If you wish, you can remove these and make your own initials. The rose is always installed from the underside of the soundboard, and can be done at any time before the bottom is attached to the case.

		Oil gilding the rose Carey Beebe demonstrating oil gilding of the harpsichord soundboard rose.

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