Violoncello
Alternate name(s)
- Cello
Date1812-1860 ca.
Place MadeNew England, United States, North America
Serial No.none
SignednoneMarkingsPencil marks on top for low bridge position
DescriptionThe top was microscopically identified as spruce by John Koster, 1/10/07.
The screw-tipped auger marks in the pegbox are from a tool invented by Ezra L’Hommedieu in 1809. According to Samuel C. Silliman’s history of the Town of Chester in The History of Middlesex County 1635-1885, l’Hommedieu and his brother Joshua established a gimlet factory there in 1812, which was taken over by Russell Jennings, who patented improvements to the auger bit in the 1850s. It is likely that NMM 11665 was made after these augers were widely available following the construction of the factory.
Top: two-piece spruce cut slightly off-the-quarter: wide, irregular grain; not notched at neck position
Back: one-piece, slab-cut maple: prominent, verybroad curl
Ribs: maple cut off-the-quarter: broad curl; ribs set into grooves in top and back
Head and neck: maple: faint, narrow curl; pegbox fluting continues onto volutes, resulting in a rounded appearance; l’Hommedieu patented auger marks on inside of pegbox (see information in file); neck and original beech shim hollowed all the way to pegbox
Arching: top arching flattened at center
Purfling: none
Edging: edging profile not rounded under fingerboard
Varnish: medium brown
Fingerboard: black-stained beech; wedge shaped; chamfered underside on lower end; original black-stained beech shim
Nut: black-stained hardwood
Tailpiece: missing
Pegs: missing
Saddle: missing; extended deep into top
Endpin: missing
F-holes: curved, pointed wings; rounded notch corners
Linings: none; blocks with triangular end profiles between ribs and back
Corner blocks: spruce; very small
Top block: integral with neck; wider at joint with top; extended foot over platform carved from wood of back; flat-headed steel screw through block foot into back platform, probably later
Bottom block: maple; divided into two pieces at lower rib joint; very narrow
Bassbar: very wide; extends all the way top upper and lower ribs
Other: marks in top from two bridge positions, one high (370 mm stop) and one low (402 mm stop); screw-tipped auger marks in pegbox
DimensionsTotal violoncello length: 1194 mm
Back length: 747 mm
Upper bout width: 352 mm
Center bout width: 255 mm
Lower bout width: 448 mmNeck length (bottom of nut to ribs): 263 mm
Upper rib height: 106-112 mm
Center rib height: 105-112 mm
Lower rib height: 106-112 mm
Stop length: 390 mm
Vibrating string length: 653 mm
Neck length (bottom of nut to ribs): 263 mm
Credit LinePaul and Jean Christian Collection
Object number11665
On View
Not on view
1900-1940 ca.
