Context (CMS Context)
Picken Collection catalogue card reads:

'77.399 S.E. ASIA Thailand [crossed through] / Laos / Vientiane /
321.313: bowed spike tube-lute. / Coco-nut body, wooden table, decorative / soundholes in rear of body. / 2 original silk strings; rear-inserted pegs; bow; original / bridge. Saw.u. [underlined] / Obtained by Robin Rattray c. 1960, from the Royal / School of Music in Vientiane. /
Coll. Dr. L. E. R. Picken - numbered 302 (lute) / 304 (bow)'
Event Date 29/4/2016
Author: Olivia Maguire

Context (CMS Context)
Other numbers, 321.313, 302 and 304, as listed on Picken Collection catalogue card.
Event Date 29/4/2016
Author: Olivia Maguire

Context (CMS Context)
Found on box list for Picken Box 60 but without database record. This record created from information available on Picken Collection catalogue card. Object not physically seen.
Event Date 29/4/2016
Author: Olivia Maguire

Description (CMS Description)
Bowed spike tube-lute. Coco-nut body, wooden table, decorative soundholes in rear of body. 2 original silk strings; rear-inserted pegs; bow; original bridge. Saw.u. Obtained by Robin Rattray c. 1960, from the Royal School of Music in Vientiane.
Event Date 29/4/2016
Author: Olivia Maguire

Context (CMS Context)
Letter (Archive 2, W16/1/1, Large Box N) from Robin [Rattray] (Monks, Priorswood, Compton, Guildford) to Laurence Picken, dated 9 June 1977 reads:
‘The instruments you ask about were all collected in Laos in 1960. Some I found myself in rather remote villages in Southern Laos, not fair from a place called Saravanne [sic.] which was later devastated by American bombing. The others were obtained from the Royal School of Music in Vientiane. I suppose that may also have disappeared now. There are of course some similarities with the music and dance of Thailand and Laos which could easily cause confusion.’
Event Date 3/5/2016
Author: Olivia Maguire