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American bass viol
Abraham Prescott (American, 1789–1858)
about 1825–30
Object Place: Deerfield, New Hampshire, United States
Medium/Technique
Maple, pine
Dimensions
Length 129 cm, width 47.7 cm (Length 50 13/16 in., width 18 3/4 in.)
Credit Line
William Lindsey Fund
Accession Number65.2687
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsAmericas, Musical Instruments
ClassificationsMusical instruments – Chordophones
DescriptionTwo-piece back of maple with medium curl descending from the joint (becoming slab cut at edges). Ribs and neck similar. Maple wedge (5 mm. maximum thickness) between neck and fingerboard. Back of pegbox finished flat. Two- piece belly (with wings) of medium-to-wide grain pine. Traditional purfling. Elongated F-holes with offset notches. Brass worm-gear tuning machines with oval heads and brass center rods. Fingerboard of maple (originally painted black). Tailpiece and endpin socket of hardwood painted black. Nut and saddle of ebony. Old maple bridge of unusual design. Orange-brown varnish. Interior construction: Footed neck on platform carved from back, with one screw going downward into platform. Rectangular lower block with chamfered corners. Liners appear to be later; back and belly possibly originally grooved to receive ribs. No corner blocks. Bass bar angled from bass side to center seam.
InscriptionsPrinted label: MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, / MANUFACTURED AND FOR SALE BY / ABRAHAM PRESCOTT, / DEERFIELD, N. H. / BASS VIOL AND VIOLIN STRINGS / AND BOWS, / CONSTANTLY ON HAND. / Also--Silk, Cotton, and Oil'd Cloth / UMBRELLAS, / FOR SALE OR REPAIRED; fragment of label (or newspaper advertisement) glued partially over main label: ..[eve]ry desc[ription] ... / ... Store in this or any other ... / ...as; Sword and other Canes ... / ... Drums; Violins, Bass ... / ... with extra keys; Bassoons, Serpe[nts] ... / ... Horns, Kent and E. flat Bugles, Trum[pets] ... / ... and ... ngs and ... / .y ot... / ... [ke]ys (silver ... / ... at the shortest not[ice] ... / ... [Musical Instruments ... / ...
Provenance1965, sold by Otto van Kopenhagan, cello professor at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, to the MFA. (Accession Date: May 27, 1987)