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Folk violin
19th century
Object Place: United States, New England region
Medium/Technique
Walnut, pine, maple
Dimensions
Length 60.5 cm, width 20.5 cm (Length 23 13/16 in., width 8 1/16 in.)
Credit Line
Museum purchase with funds donated by Frank G. Webster
Accession Number1987.12
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsMusical Instruments
ClassificationsMusical instruments – Chordophones
DescriptionNon-traditional body outline. One-piece back of slab-cut walnut. Ribs similar. Neck of plain maple. Crude scroll with no undercutting. Scroll/pegbox painted/stained brown. One-piece belly of slab-cut softwood, extended onto neck 30 mm. No purfling. Crude F-holes with offset notches. Fingerboard of stained walnut with inlaid five-pointed star of bone; lower half painted/stained black. Tailpiece of bone with carved geometric designs and inlaid dot of mother-of-pearl. Nut of ebony. Homemade tuning pegs of walnut (?) stained black. Dark brown finish; not varnished, perhaps waxed. Interior construction: Footed neck resting on platform carved from back. Very narrow lower block. Belly and back glued directly to ribs with short very widely-spaced triangular liners. Small corner blocks.
Provenance1987, sold by Harold Priest, Damariscotta, Maine, to the MFA. (Accession Date: January 21, 1987)