British Drum in Norway

[Ed. Note: We travel far and wide to bring information to our blog readers. This morning we went to Norway (virtually) and picked up these images. Of interest are:

a. a familiar tack pattern -- 10 ratamacues to the person who can identify the tack pattern on this drum and tell us where we've seen it before;
b. a typically Swiss J-hook snare strainer with curlique wing nut;
c. dowels (wooden pegs) pinning what appears to be an internal reinforcing hoop;
d. a neatly overlapped counterhoop pinned with an iron tack;
e. a neatly overlapped flesh hoop;
f. a half-round snare bed carved into the drum shell and bottom internal reinforcing hoop; and
g. repair patches.

The half-round snare bed looks a bit crude in comparison with the finer workmanship evident in the construction of the overlapped hoops. I wonder whether the snare bed had originally been a more subtle depression in the shell to allow for a press fit (no snare hardware at all), later modified in Europe to accommodate a European J-hook snare strainer. That's my guess because the tack pattern seems inconsistent with the snare strainer. I could be wrong though.]


Kjell Tore Innervik, activities
The old military drum from the 19 century.
Probably used in "Drangedal", western Telemark, Norway
The drum was bought in an auction in Skien in 2002. The owner was living in a farm i Drangedal in Telemark, Norway. No more history was not possible to get.

It was restored in 2003 by Ingvald and Kjell Tore Innervik. New hoops, "ears" and dear skin from the western part of Norway shot by Dr Stene from Fredrikstad made the drum sound again. The string is the original hors tail.

The drum is probably British. I sough a similar drum in Büchler trommelbau in Basel, and they had bought it from a museum witch operated with a dating from around 1780. I similar drum is also at the Castle of London.

More info from Warren Simpson are soon to come about old military drums

These three really heavy sticks came with the drum.



The string is the original hors tail.



More pictures of the drum: Inside

As you can see it has been prepared several times



Metal nails and carved hole for the snare



Original rim



Rim used inside the skin [fleshhoop]



Wooden Nails [dowels]



Note: Terry Cornett wrote us: "That is the same tack pattern Cooperman call 'Kings Landing' as it was found on a Loyalist drum in Kings Landing, Nova Scotia." Terry gets 10 ratamacues and a subscription for life to www.fielddrums.com. Terry is a talented drummer, drum historian, drum maker and drum restorer. Terry is also is principal percussionist for the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra. Terry is also the sole propietor/maker of Heritage Drums, which specializes in historically accurate, custom hand-crafted, rope-tensioned drums patterned after 17th- through 19th-century models. He also performs restorations for National museums. Drums built by Mr. Cornett have been used in films such as "Last of the Mohicans," "The Class of '61," "The Blue and The Grey," "Gods and Generals" and several Smithsonian productions. Turner Broadcasting Company purchased a drum for use in advertisements for the NBA play-offs.