Viola
Repaired by
Giuseppe Bossi
Date1900-1928 ca.
Place MadeItaly, Europe
Place MadeStradella, Italy, Europe
Serial No.none
SignedWritten in black ink on paper label, mostly intentionally effaced: [illeg] / in Bresia
Printed on paper label with single line border visible through treble soundhole, the last two digits of year and last line of text written in pencil: GIUSEPPE BOSSI / LIUTAIO / Anno 1928 STRADELLA / RiperatoDescriptionThis instrument appears to be a pastiche made from old wood to look like an altered lira da braccio.Top: two-piece softwood, cut off-the-quarter: wide grain converging on center joint; later
Back: one-piece, slab-cut maple: plain; wood pins through back into bottom block, top block, and neck heel; reshaped; ebony cap on button
Ribs: slab-cut maple: faint, irregular curl; reshaped
Head: maple; plain, later and likely German
Arching: low with no recurve
Edging: no recurve
Purfling: single black-painted line on top, none on back
Varnish: medium red-brown; later
Fingerboard: ebony; later
Nut: missing
Tailpiece: missing
Pegs: four boxwood with concave heads, ebony eyes, and single collar ring; later
Saddle: ebony
Endpin: missing
F-holes: wings come to point; strongly curved stems; no notches
Linings: spruce; later
Corner blocks: spruce; small
Top block: poplar or willow
Bottom block: spruce
Bassbar: spruce
Other: circular saw marks on inside of ribs
DimensionsTotal viola length: 642 mm
Back length: 391 mm (15-1/2")
Upper bout width: 191 mm
Center bout width: 144 mm
Lower bout width: 244 mm
Upper rib height: 34-35 mm
Center rib height: 33-35 mm
Lower rib height: 34-36 mm
Stop length: 210 mm
Vibrating string length: 353 mm
Neck length (bottom of nut to ribs): 142 mm
ProvenanceLaurence Witten acquired from the Bisiach Collection, Venegono Superiore, Italy, 1968.
Purchased by the National Music Museum from Laurence Witten family, New Haven, Connecticut, 1984.
Credit LineWitten-Rawlins Collection, 1984
Object number03427
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