Violin
Date1940-1955 ca.
Place MadeColumbus, Ohio, United States, North America
ModelFlower pot
Serial No.none
SignednoneMarkingsBranded on bridge, facing tailpiece: K.L.MEISEL
Branded on bridge, facing fingerboard: OWATONNA/MINN.
DescriptionAccording to Lothar Meisel, violins that did not pass inspection at Jackson-Guldan were made into flower-pot violins, which were sold through Sears. I have not identified them in any Sears catalog so far. (In the 1930 catalog, Sears offered German instruments, some by Hermann Geipel, in 1936 Geipel violins and Czech instruments, and in 1941 “American made” instruments, though by 1956, violins are listed as “Made in Germany,” suggesting that Sears reverted to European suppliers again after the War.) The internal construction, with corner blocks and no linings, matches labeled Jackson-Guldan violins in the Museum’s collections. The one-piece-semi-slab cut top is not typical of finished violins by JGV Co., indicating that these instruments may have been a combination of rejected parts and non-functional cosmetic components made from scrap wood, such as this top. The machine-carving process would have minimized the expense of creating a “mock” top. The lack of a bassbar suggests that this violin was destined to become a flower pot rather than an instrument before it was assembled.
According to Lothar Meisel, the violin is in original condition with the exception of the bridge, which he added after the original gold-spray-painted bridge was lost. He and his father were given the instrument ca. 1955 while he was living in Cleveland. They visited the Jackson-Guldan factory in Columbus soon after acquiring the instrument, ca. 1955-1956. The factory was supervised by a German, Wolfgang Ritter, at that time. Lothar stated that teachers began to complain to the ASTA about the poor quality of the JGV Co. violins, and that there was correspondence between the Association and JGV. Soon after, JGV Co. was out of business.
Matthew Benz of the Ohio historical society provided the following information on June 26, 2003: “Regarding your request for information on the Jackson-Guldan Violin Company, I did some quick research for you and located the company in the 1920-1921 Columbus City Directory. At that time, G.J.Guldan is listed as Vice President and W.R. Clymer as Treasurer (located in Cleveland, apparently). No other officers are listed. In the 1935 directory, Clymer is listed as President and Roy N. Baily as Vice, with Frances L. Jackson Secretary/Treasurer. I couldn't find a listing for the company in 1959.”
The loop from which the violin can be hung is attached with an original Phillips head screw. Henry F. Phillips filled a patent application for this head in 1934, and was awarded U. S. Patent No. 2,046,343 in 1936. The original nylon strings on NMM 10,453 (not viable for playing) date to after late 1939, when Wallace Carothers’s invention (U. S. Pat. No. 2,130,948, filed April 9, 1937, awarded Sept. 20, 1938) was first marketed by DuPont, according to the DuPont website. These features suggest that the earliest possible date of manufacture is ca. 1940.
Violin with center treble rib removed and metal flower vase installed in the opening. Copper loop affixed to upper treble corner of back for hanging.
Top: one-piece, semi-slab-cut spruce: wide grain
Back: one-piece maple: plain; copper loop affixed to upper treble corner of back for hanging
Ribs: quarter-cut maple: medium curl; center treble rib cut away to accommodate flower pot; rib corners deeply chamfered
Head and neck: maple; neck spray-painted gold; groove in base of neck under fingerboard
Edging: not scooped
Purfling: none
Varnish: spray-painted gold and over-painted with ivory paint on body, pegbox and scroll, the prominent craquelure revealing the gold painted underneath
Fingerboard: hardwood; spray-painted gold; over-painted with ivory paint on underside and edges over body
Nut: hardwood; spray-painted gold
Tailpiece: hardwood; tulip-shaped; short saddle carved from top; prominent rounded ridge on lower face; spray-painted gold
Tailgut: red gut
Pegs: four hardwood; spray-painted gold
Saddle: hardwood; spray-painted gold and over-painted with ivory, the prominent craquelure revealing the gold painted underneath
Endpin: hardwood; spray-painted gold and over-painted with ivory, the prominent craquelure revealing the gold painted underneath
F-holes: no notches; lined on inside with black canvas spray-painted ivory
Linings: none
Corner blocks: probably basswood
Top block: probably basswood
Bottom block: probably basswood
Bassbar: none
Other: gold-spray-painted steel flower pot box, 76mm by 78mm by 26mm, hung from back with a J-hook into opening in center treble rib; green and red plastic holly in flower pot; machine carving marks visible on inside of top and back
DimensionsBack length: 355 mmTotal violin length: 599 mm
Upper bout width: 165 mmStop length: 191 mm
Center bout width: 107 mmVibrating string length: 324 mm
Lower bout width: 207 mmNeck length (bottom of nut to ribs): 138 mm
Upper rib height: 30-32 mm
Center rib height: 30-32 mm
Lower rib height: 30-32 mm
ProvenanceGiven to Lothar and Kurt Meisel ca. 1955 while they were living in Cleveland, Ohio.
Credit LineGift of Kurt Lothar and Patricia A. Meisel, 2003
Object number10453
On View
Not on view
