Archlute
Alternate name(s)
- Lute
Maker
Magnus Tieffenbrucker
Date1585-1626 ca.
Place MadeVenice, Italy, Europe
Serial No.none
SignedPrinted on paper label: Magno dieffopruchar in Venetia.DescriptionThis archlute was likely made by either the second or third member of the Tieffenbrucker family named Magnus. The Bavarian Tieffenbrucker family dominated lute making in the Veneto region in the sixteenth and seventeenth century with prolific, almost factory-like output of high quality lutes. This instrument has a later ebony fingerboard.
Stringing: one single and six double courses over fingerboard; seven single courses to second head
Soundboard: two-piece quarter-cut spruce: medium grain broadening at the edges; grain converges slightly in upper part
Bowl: 31 snakewood staves, divided by ivory strips; the inner 29 strips narrower and fluted
Clasp: seven-piece snakewood divided by ivory strip; later snakewood and ivory strap loop engraved with X by Gary Stewart
Head: light hardwood veneered with ebony and ivory with ivory binding and ebony and ivory strip trim; two pegboxes; front of lower pegbox veneered with ebony and ivory blocks and ebony and ivory strip trim; underside of upper pegbox veneered with rosewood triangles divided by ivory strip trim; back of pegboxes veneered with ivory vine marquetry set into ebony; upper head drilled for several stringing configurations
Neck: veneered with ivory vine marquetry set into ebony, surrounded on each side with ivory and ebony reverse color purfling trim
Binding: ebony with ivory and ebony strip trim
Fingerboard: ebony with ivory inlaid strip decoration; ivory and bone binding with ivory and dark brown hardwood trim; later ebony extension with ivory frets and mother-of-pearl floral inlay set into top
Nuts: ivory with recesses between strings; later, by Gary Stewart
Bridge: black-painted maple tie bridge with later ivory and snakewood veneered face installed by Gary Stewart
Tuners: 21 rosewood friction pegs with bone pins
Rose: knot pattern chip carved from wood of top
Lacquer: none
Bowl lining: recycled paper strips with writing in black ink glued at joints between ribs
Technical drawing available for purchase.
DimensionsTotal archlute length: 1144.8 mm
Top length: 487.4 mm
Maximum body width: 308.2 mm
Maximum bowl height: 143.2 mm
Head length: 361 mm
Head width, top: 23 mm
Head width, bottom: 67 mm
Neck length (nut to ribs): 291 mm
Neck width, nut: 75.5 mm
Neck width, heel: 93.7 mm
Soundhole diameter (interior opening): 84 mm
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): 699 mm and 948.8 mm
ProvenanceFrom the collection of Lord Astor kept in the music room at Hever Castle, acquired by Witten at the contents sale, Christie’s, London, 12 November 1963, lot 3.
Purchased by the National Music Museum from Laurence Witten family, New Haven, Connecticut, 1984.
Published ReferencesAndré P. Larson, The National Music Museum: A Pictorial Souvenir (Vermillion: National Music Museum, 1988), inside front cover and p. 46.
André P. Larson, "Early Italian Plucked Stringed Instruments at the Shrine to Music Museum," Lute Society of America Quarterly Vol. XX No. 1 (February 1985), p. 7.
Technical Drawings
Credit LineWitten-Rawlins Collection, 1984
Object number03382
On View
Not on view
1680-1730 ca.
