The Harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones (stringed instruments) and has its own sub category (the harps).
All harps have a neck, resonator and strings. Some, known as frame harps, also have a pillar; those without the pillar are referred to as open harps. Depending on its size, which varies, a harp may be played while held in the lap or while it stands on a table, or on the floor.
Harp strings may be made of nylon, gut, wire or silk. On smaller harps, like the folk harp, the core string material will typically be the same for all strings on a given harp. Larger instruments like the modern concert harp mix string materials to attain their extended ranges. A person who plays the harp is called a harpist or harper. Folk musicians often use the term "harper", whereas classical musicians use "harpist".

Various types of harps are found in Africa, Europe, North and South America and in Asia. In antiquity, harps and the closely related lyres were very prominent in nearly all cultures. The harp also was predominant with medieval bards, troubadors and minnesingers throughout the Spanish Empire. Harps continued to grow in popularity due to improvements in their design and construction through the beginning of the 20th century..

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The Morley Family have been involved in the making, repair and selling of harps in the United Kingdom since 1817. Harp historian, John Marson, suggests that they are the longest-established dynasty within the harp world.



George Morley (1790–1852) registered his harp making, tuning and repair business at 95 High St, White Chapel, London, in 1817. His brother, Charles Morley (1796–1858), entered into partnership with him in 1820. A single action pedal harp dated around 1810 in the Henry Ford Museum is believed to be the work of George Morley. In the 1860s Charles' son Robert (1840–1916) and George's son Joseph George (1847–1921) were both apprenticed to the Paris harp maker, Érard.
Joseph George Morley inherited his father's harp business and went on to become Britain's most prominent harp maker. Following the demise of Érard's London operation in 1890, Joseph George took over Érard's London stock and goodwill and established a shop and workshops at 6 Sussex Place, South Kensington, London. In 1893 he acquired the business of Philip Holcombe, the maker of both Dodd and Dizi harps...

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