Double bass
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InstrumentDouble bass/Double basses/Strings/Musical Instrument ; Double bass |
Instrument FamilyStrings |
MakerLeopold Widhalm |
Place MadeNuremberg ; Europe ; Germany ; Central Europe |
Date Made1753 |
DescriptionThis bass has a golden-brown varnish and ebony/sycamore/ebony purfling. Both the front and back overlap the ribs, the back generally by 3mm, the front by 3-6mm. The front is of two pieces and has some slight tree wind damage at the top. The grain is fairly consistent, with 14 grains per 25mm. There is an ebony soundboard protection cap at the bottom end of the belly. There are soundboard location holes at either end of the soundboard. The back and sides are of well figured maple, 5 unmatched pieces used for the ribs - the lower bouts have only a single rib, ie. not joined at the bottom. The back is bookmatched, of six pieces. The neck and scroll are made of maple, with a plugged hole in the heel, 18.2mm diameter, possibly hiding a dowel which goes into the neck block. The fingerboard and tailpiece are made of maple(?) stained black. The tuners consist of brass plates, iron turners, cogs and rollers. The cogs have 20 teeth, and the square-headed turners require a tuning key to operate.There is a soundpost plate with2 bars below the plate, 1 above; the bass bar is glued to the soundboard. Measurements: Neck length (from nut to body) 371mm; fingerboard length 710mm, width at nut 42.1mm, at body end 93.4mm; Soundboard arch 43mm. Inscription: With printed label "Leopold Widhalm, Lauten und G e / genmacher in Nurnburg fecit An. 1753", (the "53" is handwritten); also smaller printed label underneath "Reparitt Franz Steininger / in Frankfurt am Main 1803", the "03" is handwritten. Repair history: new tailpiece and bridge made for display purposes by Dr Jonathan Santa Maria Bouquet in 2016. Illustration references: Vol. 1 p. 57. Current ownership: Government allocation to the University, 1991. (C.H. Brackenbury Memorial Collection). |
NotesD. Martin, 1993-94. |
Measurements1620. |
ProvenanceGovernment allocation to the University, 1991. |
CollectionMIMEd ; C.H. Brackenbury Memorial Collection |
Accession Number1104 |