The Autoharp, as we know it today, was called a chorded zither
in the early years.  It was invented by Karl August Gutter of
Germany and was manufactured in America  sometime around
the mid 1800's.  This instrument is played cradled in the arms with
the left hand depressing the chord bars, vertically, to damp the strings,
while the right hand picks or plucks the strings.
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