ABSTRACT
Crane developed the theory that the evolution of the name was trump to jews-trump to jews-harp. His argument was that there is an unbroken tradition of the use of the name 'trump' in Scotland and that it has cousins, 'such as French trompe, German Trumpel, and Slavonic drumla'. The connection with the Jews can be broken down into three types: humorous, sellers and derogatory. The suggestion that King David's harp was a jews-harp is a recurrent theme first used by Bonnell Thornton's burlesque, An Ode on Saint Cœcilia's Day of 1749. Jaw harp originally appears as a comedic device. For around 10 years in the mid-eighteenth century there was a series of burlesque performances in London. The one we can be sure of is Jew's Harp Tavern and Tea-House, which with variations of name is thought to occupy a spot close to what is now the lake in the centre of Regent's Park.
