Bass viola da gamba
Alternate name(s)
- Bass viol
Date1700-1750 ca.
Place MadeGermany, Europe
Place MadeNorth, Italy, Europe
SignedunsignedDescriptionThis bass viola da gamba or viol-form cello is of unknown school. Unusual features include the flat back with no break, bassbar carved from the wood of the top, and incised imitation purfling on the back. Top: two-piece, quarter-cut spruce: medium to wide grain; not bookmatched
Back: two-piece, quarter-cut maple: faint, irregular narrow curl; no break; wood dowels through back into each corner block; wood dowel through button into neck heel; two wood dowels through back into top block and into bottom block
Ribs: quarter-cut maple: very faint narrow curl
Head: maple; medium curl; later; neck removed
Arching: recurve on top; flat back with no break
Purfling: inlaid on top; continues in front of saddle; double incised lines on back
Varnish: light golden brown
Pegs: four rosewood with undercut heads and bone eyes on faces
Saddle: originally set into wood of top; missing
Linings: spruce; wide
Corner blocks: willow or poplar; rough split; wood dowels through back into corner blocks, parallel to rib structure
Top block: willow or poplar
Bottom block: missing
Bassbar: carved from wood of top; low height
Other: burn marks on inside of ribs; wood pins through ribs into corner blocks; small iron nails through upper ribs into top block; toothed plane marks on inside of back
DimensionsTop length: 668 mm
Upper bout width: 325 mm
Center bout width: 221 mm
Lower bout width: 399 mm
Upper rib height: 105-109 mm
Center rib height: 107-109 mm
Lower rib height: 109 mm
Stop length: 372 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.
Published ReferencesMargaret Downie Banks, “North Italian viols at the Shrine to Music Museum,” Journal of the Viola da Gamba Society of America, XXI (1984), p. 24.
Credit LineWitten-Rawlins Collection, 1984
Object number03434
On View
Not on view
1625-1630 ca.
