Violin
Maker
Friedrich August Meisel
Date1887
Place MadeKlingenthal, Saxony, Germany, Europe
SignedPrinted on paper label with decorated line at bottom, the last line of text written in black ink: Friedr. Aug. Meisel, / Instrumentenmacher. / Klingenthal i/V 1887MarkingsBridge stamped: K. L. MEISEL
DescriptionTop: two-piece, quarter-cut spruce: medium grain, broadening toward the flanks; wooden dowel through top into top block on bass side of center joint
Back: two-piece, quarter-cut maple: narrow curl, descending from center joint
Ribs: quarter-cut maple: narrow curl, on upper and lower bass ribs, upper and center treble ribs; slab-cut maple: medium curl, on center bass rib and lower treble ribs
Head and neck: maple: narrow curl; inside of pegbox stained black
Varnish: medium brown
Fingerboard: ebony
Nut: ebony
Tailpiece: ebony; raised gold-plated-brass lyre attached to surface
Tailgut: black plastic
Pegs: ebony with abalone eyes immediately inside white plastic and red gold rings; later
Saddle: ebony; later
Endpin: ebony with abalone eye immediately inside white plastic ring; later
F-holes: slightly undercut
Linings: spruce
Corner blocks: spruce lower corner blocks; no upper corner blocks
Bassbar: triangular cross-section
Other: narrow-gauge toothed plane marks visible on inside of ribs
DimensionsTotal violin length: 583 mm
Back length: 352 mm
Upper bout width: 166 mm
Center bout width: 110 mm
Lower bout width: 206 mm
Upper rib height: 30-31 mm
Center rib height: 30-31 mm
Lower rib height: 31 mm
Stop length: 197 mm
Vibrating string length: 325 mm
Neck length (bottom of nut to ribs): 128 mm
ProvenanceLothar Meisel (7/10/03) does not remember the provenance of this instrument. It was his father’s idea to assemble the family collection, and Kurt Oswald found most of the instruments.
Published ReferencesProd. Julie Kucaj. “Lothar Meisel,” Arts & Minds. Bravo! News Style Arts Channel, Toronto, 30-31 Jan. 2003.
K. Lothar Meisel with Betty Vos. The Meisel Family Violin Makers: Klingenthal, Vogtland, Saxony (Ely, Minnesota: Singing River Publications, Inc., 2007), pp. 98-101.
Credit LineGift of Kurt Lothar and Patricia A. Meisel, 1997
Object number06055
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