Valsesia, the valley of the Sesia River, is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful Alpine valleys – along with its pristine side valleys, shaped solely by the whims of mountain streams. For many decades, the history of a rare craft lay dormant in this valley. Even the inhabitants of the region had forgotten that their province could once be mentioned in the same breath as the cities of Molln (Austria) and Birmingham (England): for about four centuries, Valsesia was home to production sites for jaw harps. Thanks to the research of Italian historian Alberto Lovatto, we now know a lot about the Ribeba, decorated with leaves and stored in carved little boxes.
Both images show jaw harps from Valsesia from the 19th century; private collection, photo: Matteo Zolt; provided by Alessandro Zolt.
Until the 1970s, the Mediterranean islands of Sardinia and Sicily were considered the home of Italian jaw harps. Their names included Trunfa, Mariolo, Scacciapenieri, and Marranzanu. Alberto Lovatto published the first study on the northwestern Italian Ribeba in 1983, dispelling a widespread misconception at the time: the jaw harps found in northern Italy were by no means imported from Sicily. From the late 15th century until the 19th century, blacksmiths in the region crafted elegant instruments that stood out from the mass-produced items from Austria and England.
Spread of the Ribeba through the Port of Genoa
Little is known about exactly how jaw harp production began in the Italian Alps. However, it can be clearly evidenced by a first documented mention from 1524: the delivery of "two parts of forest" was agreed upon in exchange for "60 dozen Rebebbe". Old delivery and purchase contracts from the 19th century show that Ribebas were shipped via the port of Genoa to Spain and Portugal, as well as to "America".
The Ribebas were, of course, not only exported. In the Italian Alpine valleys, people played local dances and songs with the jaw harp. Playing with two jaw harps simultaneously is also documented. Additionally, it is known that in northern Italy, the jaw harp was also played by women. Today, unfortunately, the Ribeba no longer plays a role in the music of Valsesia.
The Village of Boccorio as the Center of Jaw Harp Forging
Alberto Lovatto investigated the production history of the small Valsesian village of Boccorio (a district of Riva Valdobbia) with about 100 inhabitants. In the 18th century, practically almost everyone in Boccorio was involved in the construction of jaw harps. The heyday of jaw harp forging in Boccorio can be dated to the late 18th century to the mid-19th century. After this period, one jaw harp workshop after another closed.
Some of the instruments forged in Valsesia in the 18th and 19th centuries have been preserved. Based on these instruments, Alberto Lovatto, together with his colleague, the ethnomusicologist Alessandro Zolt, was able to draw conclusions about the regional characteristics of the Ribebas. Upon close inspection, the decoration and the stamp mark of the instruments immediately catch the eye. Some jaw harps were decorated with two filigree leaves placed inside the metal frame next to the tongue. In addition, patterns of dots and lines adorn the exterior of the frame.
The Stamp Marks of the Ribeba
It is striking that the Valsesian blacksmiths marked their instruments with a stamp engraving. Each blacksmith had his own signet, which included not only capital letters such as A, L, or TU, but also symbols like a sun, a fish, or a flower. The jaw harp tongues were hand-forged.
No definitive statement can be made about the annual number of instruments produced. Various figures circulate in the sources. Numbers ranging from half a million jaw harps per year to 1.5 million instruments are mentioned. According to Lovatto and Zolt, jaw harp production in Molln was far stronger than in Valsesia. However, the northern Italian instruments stand out as handcrafted jaw harps of good quality.
In their study, the scientists Lovatto and Zolt also describe that there were simply processed instruments and those of better quality, i.e., there were inexpensive and somewhat more expensive instruments from Valsesia. The fact that some of the jaw harps that left the Sesia Valley were better than other instruments is also evidenced by the dispute over the use of stamp marks in Boccorio. In 1790, a decree had to be issued stating that one could not use another jaw harp smith's stamp to gain an advantage in sales.
The Ribebas of northern Italy, which are now housed in museums and archives, served as a model for the jaw harp reproductions of the young blacksmith Luca Boggio from Strona (in Valdilana), an Alpine valley about an hour's drive from Valsesia. We report on how he contributes to the revival of the Ribeba in an interview with him on our blog.
Further details about the northern Italian jaw harp were published in English in the Journal of the International Jew's Harp Society: Alberto Lovatto and Alessandro Zolt. 2022. Valsesia Ribeba and Trump in Italy, p. 72 ff and Alberto Lovatto. 2004. The Production of Trumps in Valsesia (Piedmont, Italy), p. 4 ff.
In 2019, a book about the Ribeba in Valsesia was published in Italian by Libreria Musicale Italiana ("La ribeba in Valsesia. Nella storia europea dello scacciapensieri", 212 pages), written by Alberto Lovatto and Alessandro Zolt.