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The autoharp, or "chorded zither" is the only surviving member of a surprising number of mechanical zithers that appeared in the late 1800's. It is the only folk instrument of American origin, and a rare instance of an invented instrument falling into the folk tradition. It was patented in 1882 by Charles Zimmermann, who manufactured the first instruments in Philadelphia. Intended to be played on a table or in the lap, it was used as a chordal accompaniment to songs. The notched felt chord bars dampen certain strings, in the manner of the muting techniques of zither players. It sold widely as a novelty in the 1890's, and a large number were sold in the Sears catalog. As many as 500 autoharps a day were made at the peak of popularity in 1895. When the first recordings were made in the Southern mountains in the 1920's, a number of musicians turned up (notably Ernest "Pop" Stoneman) playing melodies and old-time music, often holding the instrument upright in what is now called the Appalachian style. The immense popularity of the Carter Family in the 1930's brought the instrument to a wide audience and established its primary role for the accompaniment of folk songs, though it never became commonplace or was ever really heard as a melody instrument. The Oscar Schmidt company was the only manufacturer for decades, and for many years autoharps were made almost exclusively for use in school music classrooms. The autoharp was featured on some Folkways recordings in the 1960's, and played by a number of popular folk performers such as Mike Seeger, Ian & Sylvia and John Sebastian. A number of musicians then began playing the instrument more seriously, and Bryan Bowers emerged as probably the most influential and notable player ever. He popularized the diatonic instruments, which play in fewer keys, and feature pairs of unison strings. Their full, shimmering sound is similar to the way a 12-string guitar differs from a 6-string. In recent years, the number of autoharp builders and players has grown steadily, as has the instrument's repertoire and visibility.
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