Images(15)

Child's violoncello

Alternate name(s)

Cello
Violoncello piccolo

Maker Ferdinando Gagliano

Date1793

Place MadeNaples, Campania, Italy, Europe

Serial No.none

SignedPrinted on paper label with decorative border, the last two digits of year written in black ink: Ferdinandus Gaglianus Filius / Nicolai fecit Neap.1793
DescriptionThis remarkably well preserved small cello may be completely original down to the bridge. Wear on the instrument suggests that it was truly used by a child, as opposed to an adult playing a small instrument at higher pitch. The fine workmanship suggests use by a wealthy child or recognized child prodigy, as the instrument would have been higher quality than average.

Top: one-piece, quarter-cut spruce: wide grain
Back: two-piece, semi-slab-cut maple: faint, narrow curl
Ribs: quarter-cut maple: narrow curl, slightly angled to right; corners chamfered
Head and neck: maple: plain; pegbox with shoulders
Varnish: dark red-brown
Purfling; continues in front of saddle
Fingerboard: black-painted spruce veneered with ebony; tapered; small notches at joint with neck heel
Nut: ebony
Tailpiece: two decorative incised lines around outline of face; tailgut passes throuh holes drilled in face
Tailgut: black gut
Pegs: black-painted boxwood with concave, undercut heads and short stems
Saddle: ebony; flush with edges; shallow; trapezoidal extension with concave sides passes into lower rib; finished with same varnish as body
Endpin: rosewood
F-holes: channeled lower wings
Linings: maple
Corner blocks: spruce
Top block: spruce; narrow
Bottom block: spruces; bevelled corners
Bridge: early, possibly original bridge; teardrop-shaped heart; low feet, lower edge teminates in point

DimensionsTotal child's violoncello length: 822 mm
Back length: 503 mm
Upper bout width: 247 mm
Center bout width: 166 mm
Lower bout width: 307 mm
Upper rib height: 62-64 mm
Center rib height: 64-66 mm
Lower rib height: 65-66 mm
Stop length: 277 mm
Vibrating string length: 463 mm
Neck length (bottom of nut to ribs): 185 mm
ProvenanceLaurence Witten acquired from the Bellarosa and Herrmann Collections, through Emil Hermann, New York, New York, 1962. Purchased by the National Music Museum from Laurence Witten Family, New Haven, Connecticut, 1984.

Credit LineWitten-Rawlins Collection, 1984

Object number03374

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