My first encounter with a door harp
My first encounter with a door harp was about 40 years ago, when I went to consult with a client, in the Old City of Jerusalem, and heard delightful, gentle chimes, as I entered their home.
Attached to the inside of the front door, I saw, for the first time a beautiful door harp. I was mesmerized by this simple, ingenious little instrument, and began doing further research on it.
It seems that the door harp originated about 700 years ago, in Scandinavia (Sweden and Finland), as a result of encounters with the Chinese. There appears to be a connection between the Chinese philosophy of Feng Shui (which uses chimes, hung around windows and doors, to move bad energy out, and good energy in) and the Scandinavian door harp, whose gentle chimes welcome guests into one’s home and bring good luck and good vibes.
As well as using them in homes, they can be used in shops, offices or clinics to announce the arrival of clients. They also make perfect gifts for weddings, housewarmings, birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, Hannukah, or any special occasion!
The door harp consists of a hollow, wooden sound box, strung with metal strings, which are tuned to a chord. It is attached to the inside of the front door, and when the door is opened or closed, the wooden balls bounce on the strings, creating a gentle, harmonious sound. Its welcoming chimes will fill your home with good vibrations.
The Classic and Junior Classic door harps are reminiscent of a stringed instrument (like a guitar).
The Hamsa is from the Semitic root meaning “five”. For centuries it has been used as a symbol of good luck. Originating in the Middle East, the Hamsa represents G-d’s protective hand, and it is believed that its positive energy draws health, wealth and happiness.
The King David’s Harp – The design of this door harp is based on the Biblical “Kinnor David” which was depicted on an Israeli coin that was taken out of circulation many years ago.
“Listed over forty times in the Bible and the first instrument mentioned in the Hebrew scriptures, the “lyre” was one of the foundation stones for the musical culture of the Hebrew clans. The kinor was played by common people and kings and was an integral part of their worship, celebrations and daily life.”
Biblical Lyre Door Harp – The design of this door harp is based on the 12 string lyre, which appears on the Israeli half-shekel coin. This lyre is an artistic rendition of the instrument depicted on a coin from the Bar Kochba period (132 AD – 135 AD).
All of our door harps are made from laminated poplar, which is stained and fine-finished to bring out the wood grains.