Antique 1900s function zithern zither by german engelbert oberhoffer -völklingen

• This listing is for an extremely rare and antique German zither created in 1908 by E.Oberhoffer in Völklingen (there is a certified sticker inside see images).

• It is in perfect condition, with lovely old patina, in great cosmetic and working condition (just one missing string)

• That is a perfect gift, a great add-on for collectors/fans/enthusiastics.

• Dimensions are 60x30x5cm apprx.

••a historic piece NOW ONLY €2.199 ••

•INFORMATION of THE CREATOR•

Engelbert Oberhoffer was Born in 1882 in Püttlingen and Died in 1957 in Völklingen. He was a Merchant, composer and inventor.

In 1908, the 26-year-old Engelbert Oberhoffer, son of a carpenter and grandson of a teacher (Martin Oberhoffer was temporarily a part-time organist in St. Laurentius in Saarburg), opened a music shop and instrument repair workshop in Poststraße 34. His merchant activity was interrupted by his participation in the First World War, when Oberhoffer at the 70th Infantry regiment served as a soldier. In December 1919, the business was moved to Völklinger Bismarckstraße 29, which was also a residential address.

With the outbreak of the Second World War and the first evacuation of the city of Völklingen at the beginning of September 1940, operations had to be discontinued. Engelbert Oberhoffer and his family were returned to Thuringia. On the return in 1940, Engelbert Oberhoffer had to find out that his house together with the shop located on the ground floor was replaced by a on the 13th. In May 1940, grenade hits - apparently the only hit in Völklingen - were almost completely destroyed and uninhabitable. Only after an immediate repair was it possible to open the business again.

The commercial operation had to be discontinued again in November 1944 due to the approaching front and the second release of the city of Völklingen. The Oberhoffer family spent the time in St. Wendel. In mid-May 1945, she returned to Völklingen. The reopening of the shop took place in January 1946. After Engelbert Oberhoffer's death, the business, which had thus existed for five decades, was continued until September 1958. On the 29th November 1960, the deregistration finally took place after a two-year rest break.

Oberhoffer, who is in the music band of the 70th Infantry Regiment played, offered in addition to the sale and repair of instruments also "music lessons" for piano, violin and zither etc.

Oberhoffer not only sold instruments, but he also showed inventiveness. In the first half of the 1920s, he patented two musical instruments. On the one hand, it was a concert violin No. 500. On the other hand, a mandolin inviola or Mandolinge No. 510 back to Oberhoffer's urge to inventive. The string instruments characterized by him as easy to play and easy to learn, about which even Antonio Stradivari would have been surprised (to read in an advertising writing), also carried the names Saarizza No. 1 and Saarizza Mandolingeige No. 2. In addition, the Völklingen businessman founded a patent Oberhoffergeigenspielerbund.

In addition to his innovative miraculous violins, Oberhoffer also composed pieces of music himself, which he published in his own music publisher. One of the documents handed over to the city archive is, for example, a Saar Star March (Etoiles de la Sarre) (Opus No. 2) intended for piano, which was also available as an arrangement for violin I, violin solo and brass music. There was also a piece (probably Opus No. 1) called Saarglocken. The music for Mein Heimattal (opus no. 7) was written by Oberhoffer, while the text was written by K. Erich Becker came from. With Das Lied von der Patent Oberhoffer Violine (Opus 44 or 47), he even composed his own advertising piece about his invention. In 1940, he captured the grenade attack on his house at Bismarckstraße 29 for posterity in text and drawing.