Violin
Maker
Kurt Lothar Meisel
Date1976
Place MadeOwatonna, Minnesota, United States, North America
ModelStradivari
Serial No.135
SignedPrinted in brown ink on paper label with lined texture and wavy-line border, the location, last two digits of year, and serial number written in black ink, signed “Lothar Meisel” in blue ballpoint pen over label text: [bird on branch] K. Lothar Meisel [KLM monogram over lyre] / Violinmaker and Repairer / from Klingenthal, Germany / OWATONNA 1976 No: 135 / MINNESOTA Written in pencil on inside of top, upper treble bout: K l Meisel / [illeg.] Quartett / 1976 [illeg.] / Nr. 135
Written in pencil on inside of top, upper bass bout: [illeg.] / 1975 [sic]
Branded on inside of back, visible through treble f-hole: [large typeface] K.L.MEISEL OWATONNA/MINN.
Branded on inside of back in front of top block to bass side of center joint: K.L.MEISEL
Branded on inside of back in front of top block to treble side of center joint: OWATONNA/MINN.
Branded on inside of back in front of bottom block to treble side of center joint: K.L.MEISEL
Branded on inside of back in front of bottom block to bass side of center joint: OWATONNA/MINN.
Branded on inside of top in front of top block to treble side of center joint: K.L.MEISEL
Branded on inside of top in front of top block to bass side of center joint: OWATONNA/MINN.
Branded on inside of top in front of bottom block to bass side of center joint: K.L.MEISEL
Branded on inside of top in front of bottom block to treble side of center joint: OWATONNA/MINN.
Branded on inside of top between center joint and bassbar: [large typeface] K.L.MEISEL
Branded in inside of top between center joint and treble f-hole: OWATONNA/MINN.
Branded on base of neck heel, under fingerboard: [large typeface] K.L.MEISEL
Branded on bridge, toward fingerboard: K.L.MEISEL
MarkingsStamped on lower rib above endpin: Q
Stamped on lower rib below endpin: 2
DescriptionNMM 5877 is the second violin in a quartet of Meisel instruments at the Museum.
The bird on the label represents the family branch, known as the “Bird” Meisels.
Lothar Meisel confirmed that the linings, corner blocks, and bottom blocks on his violins are made from basswood, 5/03. The pernambuco strips between the lower ribs are from wood he found in a scrap pile near Reinhold Schnabl’s workshop in Bubenreuth, Germany. The wood of the back is from the Carpathian Mountains. (Telephone conversation 7/30/03)
Lothar made different price levels of instruments when he starting his business in the U. S. A. (from ca. 1957). The lowest level was $350, with one location pin, or dowel, through the back at the top block, and one at the bottom block. The middle grade was $550, with one pin through the back into the top block, and two into the bottom block. The highest grade was $800, and included the two upper and two lower pin configuration. Quality level was no longer tied to the pin configuration after ca. 1967. (Interview with Lothar Meisel, 7/7/03 and 7/30/03)
Top: two-piece, quarter-cut spruce: fine grain
Back: two-piece maple cut off-the-quarter: prominent, medium curl descending steeply from center joint; small maple dowel through back into top block; small maple dowel through back into bottom block
Ribs: quarter-cut maple: prominent, narrow curl angled to right on bass side, angled to left on treble side; lower ribs divided by purfling strip and two wide pernambuco strips; rib corners slightly rounded
Head and neck: maple: broad curl; inside of pegbox stained black
Edging: full, rounded edges
Purfling: maple and pearwood, according to Lothar Meisel; wide center strip
Varnish: medium orange; wood texture visible through varnish, resulting in a matte effect
Fingerboard: ebony; made by Josef Klier, Bubenreuth, originally from Schönbach
Nut: ebony
Tailpiece: rosewood; beveled face; ivory saddle; made by Herfried Werner, Bubenreuth, originally from Ursprung, Czechoslovakia, near Schönbach
Tailgut: black plastic
Pegs: four rosewood with ivory pins; undercut heads; made by Emil Lorenz, Bubenreuth, originally from Schönbach
Saddle: ebony
Endpin: rosewood with ivory pin; made by Emil Lorenz, Bubenreuth, originally from Schönbach
F-holes: steeply pointed wings; lower wings channeled; slightly undercut; inside edges stained black
Linings: basswood
Corner blocks: basswood
Top block: spruce
Bottom block: basswood
Other: spruce cleats along inside of top center joint; maple cleats along inside of back center joint; inside of body stained light brown
DimensionsTotal violin length: 592 mm
Back length: 356 mm
Upper bout width: 166 mm
Center bout width: 110 mm
Lower bout width: 208 mm
Upper rib height: 29-30 mm
Center rib height: 30 mm
Lower rib height: 30-31 mm
Stop length: 196 mm
Vibrating string length: 329 mm
Neck length (bottom of nut to ribs): 133 mm
Published ReferencesKucaj, Julie. “Lothar Meise.” _Arts & Minds. Bravo!_ News Style Arts Channel, Toronto, 30-31 Jan. 2003.
Larson, André P. “A Salute to the Instrument Makers of the Vogtland, Including Nine
Generations of the Meisel Family.” _The Shrine to Music Museum Newsletter_ 23, No. 1 (October 1995): 6.
Meisel, K. Lothar and Betty Vos. _The Meisel Family Violin Makers: Klingenthal, Vogtland, Saxony_. Ely, Minnesota: Singing River Publications, Inc., 2007,
Sheets, Arian. "The migration of the Vogel-Meisels' workshop from Germany's 'Resonant Valley' to the National Music Museum." _National Music Museum Newsletter_ 44, no. 3 (Fall 2020): 8-10.
Credit LineGift of Neal and Karin Meisel Steffenson, 1995
Object number05877
On View
Not on view
