DescriptionThis violin has a soundboard of spruce; back, ribs, scroll and neck of sycamore; fingerboard, tailpiece, wedge, tail-gut protector of ebony; pegs and endbutton of boxwood with ebony and mother-of-pearl inlay. The instrument has remained in its baroque form. The soundboard has ebony/sycamore/ebony purfling. The f-holes have a notch on the treble side lower than the bass. The instrument has a golden varnish: there is a dark patch on the soundboard where the chin has rested on the varnish, and the varnish has come off on the back where the shoulder rests against the instrument. The lowest rib covers all of the lower bouts. Fine figure on the ribs and the two piece back, figure on back rising from the edges to the centre.
Measurements: Neck length 127mm; fingerboard 225mm long, 24.9mm wide at the nut, 41.2mm wide at the bottom. Total width of the fingerboard and wedge at the side 4.2mm at the nut, 12.1mm at the end of the neck (measured at the side). Soundboard arch 19mm; back arch 16mm.
No inscriptions.
Performance characteristics: Pleasant and even tone of velvety character.
With old case, possibly original. Overall length 793mm. Pine wood, covered with tooled leather. Violin-shaped, opens at the bottom end. Interior covered with green cloth. Height 72-152. Outside has a lock and hooks and eyes. Hinged by a strip of (not original) leather at back.
Repair History: It appears that the soundboard and back has been re-jointed at some time. Repairs to the back of the pegbox in the centre and in the centre of the back.
With seprately stored modern violin tailpiece of ebony, rounded at bottom. 4 holes, key-shaped, the hole 4.4 diameter, overall length 8.4 ebony strin rider in trench, the rider 1.95 wide, 1.3 high. The top edge is carved underneath in a curve. Bottom carved for the tailpiece gut. Tailpiece gut is red.
Specific literature references: Skeaping 1961; G.S. (1959) p. 273; G.S. (1968) No 572.
Illustration references: Vol. 1 p. 53; G.S. (1968) Plate XXIX (3) and (4); Galpin Society Journal 14 1961, Plate 11.
Previous ownership: Mrs. M. McDonald, mother of current owner.
Current ownership: Lent by Mrs. E. Pearce. |