Gothic harps were used in Europe between the late Middle Ages and the beginning of the early modern period, especially in Northern European regions. They are characterized by a simple and efficient frame construction and, in many examples, by the use of bray pins—small pins that come into contact with the strings during vibration, producing a slightly noisy and percussive timbre.

The instrument presented here dates from a period later than the Gothic era, yet it preserves morphological elements of this organological tradition. The reconstruction was carried out on the basis of a plan drawn by Sethen Korbert (1996), derived from a historical instrument by an unknown maker, built in Germany around 1700 and currently preserved at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston – Collection of Musical Instruments.