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Straeten refers to another in the Museum at Namur. We cannot determine Christopher's relationship to the other Ruckers, but he might have been the her Christofel Ruckers, organist and clockmaker of Termonde, where he set up a carillon in 1549—possibly a priest, at least the title 'her' would indicate a person regarded with veneration. The same writer, in the 5th vol. p. 393 of 'La Musique aux Pays-Bas,' continues, 'who knows if this Christopher did not own a workshop for clavecin making. The priest was everything at that epoch, and a scholar an organ or spinet builder seems to us quite natural and normal.'
We will now give the list of the existing Ruckers instruments, as complete as we have been able to make it. The kind and never tiring help of MM. Mahillon, Meerens, and Vander Straeten of Brussels, and of MM. Snoeck and Régibo of Renaix, as well as of other friends, in compiling it, is gratefully acknowledged.
[App. p.777 "Nos. 1 to 58 are tabulated in vol. iii. pp. 197–9. Nos. 59 to 62, vol. iii. p. 652. Nos. 63 to 66, vol. iv. p. 305."]
Catalogue of Ruckers Clavecins, still existing (1881), as far as possible according to date. Extreme measurements of length and width.
In all the soundboards are painted with devices, generally of fruit, birds, and flowers.
I. Hans Ruckers de Oude (the Elder).
| No. | Form. | Date. | Dimensions. | General Description. | Present Owner. | Source of information. | ||||
| ft. | in. | ft. | in. | |||||||
| 1 | Bent side. | 1590 | 7 | 4 | by | 2 | 9 | 2 keyboards, not original; black naturals; 4¾ octaves, G—E; finely painted. Rose No. 1. | Collection of M.Régibo, Renaix. | A. Régibo. |
| 2 | Bent side. | 1590 | 7 | 9 | by | 2 | 10¼ | 2 keyboards, not original; black naturals; 5oct.; extended by Blanchet.[1] Inscribed Hans Ruckers me fecit Antverpiae; Rose No. l. | Musée du Conservatoire, Paris. | G. Chouquet |
| 3 | Bent side. | 1590 | . . . . . . | 2 keyboards; case 'en laque de Chine; 5 stops 'à genoullière' | Château de Pau, France. | Spire Blondel, 'La Revue Britannique.' Oct. 1880.[2] | ||||
| 4 | Oblong. | 1610 | 5 | 7 | by | 1 | 7 | 2 keyboards one above the other; white naturals; 4½ oct., C—F each. The upper and octave instrument a later addition by the maker. Inscribed Hans Ruckers me fecit Antverpiae. 1610. | Musée du Conservatoire, Brussels. | V. Mahillon. |
| 5 | Oblong. | 1611 | 5 | 9 | by | 1 | 7½ | 1 keyboard; 3¾ oct., E—C; case patterned paper. Inscribed Joannes Ruckers fecit Antverpiae, 1611; H. R. rose. | Musée du Steen, Antwerp | E. Vander Straeten and V. Mahillon. |
| 6 | Oblong. | 1614 | 5 | 5½ | by | 1 | 7½ | 1 keyboard; 3¾ oct., E—C; white naturals. | M. Snoeck, Renaix. | C. Meerens. |
| 7 | Bent side. | 1614 | 7 | 4½ | by | 3 | 3 | 2 keyboards; not original; 5 oct., etc., F—G; white naturals; curved bent side and round narrow end; 2 genouillières and a sourdine of the last century. Rose No. 1. | M. Snoeck, Renaix. | C. Meerens. |
| 8 | . . . . | 1632 | . . . . . . | Top painted. (The date inclines us to attribute this one to Hans the Younger); the rose is not described. | M. De Breyne, Ypres. | E. Vander Straeten. | ||||
| 9 | Oblong. | Un- dated |
5 | 7 | by | 1 | 5½ | 2 keyboards side by side, the left-hand one removable, having its own belly and rose, but to be tuned an 8ve. higher than the fixed instrument; no keys left; 4 oct., B—B. Both stretchers inscribed Joannes Ruckers me fecit. 2 roses No. 1. (See No. 13.) Good paintings. Stand, an arcade with 6 balusters. | Messrs. Chappell & Co., London. | A. J. Hipkins. |
| 10 | Bent side. | … | 7 | 4 | by | 2 | 7 | 2 original keyboards; 4½ oct., C—F (5 keys added); white naturals; 3 stops. | M. Régibo, Renaix. | A. Régibo. |
II. Hans Ruckers de Jonge (the Younger).
| 11 | Bent side | 1617 | 9 | 8 | by | 3 | 7 | 2 keyboards; white naturals. Paintings in Vernis Martin, lately removed. | M. Pilette. Brussels. 1878, since sold, Hotel Drouot. | Victor Mahillon. |
| 12 | Oblong. | 1618 | 2 | 8½ | by | 1 | 3 | 1 original keyboard; 3¾ oct., E—C; white naturals. Inscribed Joannes Ruckers Fecit. Rose No. 2. | Musée du Conservatoire, Paris. | G. Chouquet. |
| 13 | Oblong. | 1619 | 7 | 4 | by | 2 | 7 | 2 original keyboards side by side. 4 stops to the fixed one, the other tuned 8ve. higher; 4½ oct., C—F; white naturals. Roses No. 4. (See No. 9.) | M. Régibo, Renaix. | A. Régibo. |
| 14 | Oblong. | 1619 | 3 | 5 | by | 1 | 8½ | 1 original keyboard; 3¾ oct., E—C; white naturals. Rose No. 2. | M. Régibo. Renaix. | A. Régibo. |
| 15 | Oblong. | 1622 | 5 | 7 | by | 1 | 7½ | 1 keyboard; 4½ oct., C—F; white naturals. Inscribed Joannes ruckers fecit Antverpiae, 1622, and Omnis spiritus laudet Dominum. | M. Victor Mahillon, Brussels. | V. Mahillon. |
- ↑ It is believed by MM. Snoeck, Vander Straeten, Régibo. and V. Mahillon, that few of the Ruckers clavecins are of the original compass of keys. The statements of compass in this list and also in Keyboard should be qualified by this remark. The increase was, however, made long ago, and in some instances possibly by the maker himself. M. Vander Straeten, p. 348, has a quoted passage from Van Blankenburg: 'This was at the time when clavecins had still a narrow keyboard. In the present day (1739?) it would be difficult to meet with one of this kind; all the keyboards having been lengthened.' Again, white naturals are believed to be original these instruments. Upon very old alterations it is not easy to decide. We are of opinion that black naturals and ivory sharps were occasionally substituted when the paintings were done. In dealing with these questions, however, it is best to refrain from generalising; many errors having arisen from too hasty conclusions.
- ↑ M. Spire Blondel (Histoire Anecdotique du Piano) mentions a Ruckers clavecin, painted by Gravelot, as finding a buyer at the sale of Blondel d'Azincourt. M. du Sommerard in a private letter refers to one found in a village, probably a Hans Ruckers. There are more in France, as M. Chouquet has heard of three, but has no particulars of them to communicate. Enquiry has failed to discover in one in Holland or the Rhenish provinces.
