Zithers

The first two pictured are the Pianolin and the Marxophone. These instruments were sold door to door in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and were all variations on the zither theme. The Pianolin is a combination of a zither and a bowed psaltry, the Marxophone is combination of a zither and a hammered string instrument (with great metal hammers on spring-steel arms). Then pictured is a German concert zither and bowed zither both from the 19th century. The last is an African raft zither that features thin bamboo strips instead of strings that are hammered instead of plucked or bowed.