Viola da mano
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
- Vihuela
- Guitar
Maker
Christopher Challen
Date1976
Place MadeHaddenham, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom, Europe
SignedWritten in black ink on label: Christopher Challen / in Haddonham / 1976DescriptionThe Italian viola da mano, or Spanish vihuela, was an early 16th century precursor to the guitar. This instrument was made by Christopher Challen from ebony and ivory. Challen was also a previous owner of the NMM's Stradivari mandolin.Stringing: five double courses with single top string
Top: two-piece spruce: medium grain, wood of top extends 40 mm over neck; joint is only in lower treble bout; bound in ivory with purfling trim on top; wood pin through top into end block
Back: arched shape with 21 vaulted ebony, interspersed with ivory strips with domed profile
Sides: five-piece ebony ribs divided by ivory strips; the lower portion of ribs divided by ivory graft, wider at top, surrounded on each side by ebony and ivory strips
Head: black (pegbox exterior) and brick red (pegbox interior) painted hardwood sickle shape, veneered on back with strips of ebony and ivory; crack in pegbox repaired with wood dowels drilled in front edge of pegbox walls, covered by same black paint as pegbox sides
Neck: unknown wood veneered with ebony and ivory stripes
Fingerboard: ebony with wide ivory stripe border, surrounded on each side by narrower ebony and ivory strips; 10 tied gut frets; ivory wedge in upper side of lowest fret
Nut: ebony
Bridge: ebony tie bridge with simple moustaches, top surface veneered in rosewood
Pegs: 12 ivory pegs with with heart-shape heads; top peg is a dummy with no string
End button: made from bridge pin; ebony with mother-of-pearl
Strap button: light brown hardwood below back button
Rose: carved fruitwood top layer with pierced parchment bottom layer
Rosette: narrow purfling set in from edge
Linings: linen strips glue perpendicular to ribsDimensionsTotal viola da mano length: 765 mm
Body length: 366 mm
Upper bout width: 166 mm
Center bout width: 146 mm
Lower bout width: 203 mm
Rib height (including edging), heel: 40 mm
Rib height, waist: 72 mm
Rib height, end block: 69 mm
Maximum depth: 90 mm
Neck length: 255 mm
Neck width at nut: 55 mm
Neck width at body: 57 mm
Head length: 133 mm
Head width, top: 46 mm
Head width, bottom: 42 mm
Sound hole diameter: 74 mm
Vibrating string length: 550 mmProvenanceNo known provenance.
Credit LineGift of Donna J. Curry, 2021
Object number15619
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