Violin
Date1790-1830 ca.
Place MadeMittenwald, Bavaria, Germany, Europe
Serial No.none
SignedWritten in black in on paper label: Joseph Klotz junior in / Mittenwald an der Jsar / anno.1793.MarkingsWritten in pencil on inside of back below the label: 1520
DescriptionThis violin is influenced by the model of Jacob Stainer that a popular form in German violin making in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The one piece lower rib with position notch is characteristic of the Mittenwald school in the period.
Top: two-piece, quarter-cut spruce: narrow grain; wood pins through top into top block and bottom block on bass side of center joint
Back: two-piece, quarter-cut maple: medium grain descending from center joint; wood pins through button into neck heel, one on each side of center joint; ebony heel cap
Ribs: quarter-cut maple: faint narrow curl; one-piece lower rib; notch on lower rib at joint with back at center
Head and neck: maple: medium curl; probably later
Arching: high
Varnish: dark red brown
Fingerboard: ebony; later
Nut: ebony; later
Tailpiece: ebony; later
Tailgut: black gut
Pegs: four rosewood; later
Saddle: ebony; extends into lower rib; later
Endpin: ebony; later
F-holes: curved wings
Linings: spruce
Corner blocks: spruce
Top block: spruce; probably later
Bottom block: spruce
Bassbar: low height
DimensionsTotal violin length: 584 mm
Back length: 359 mm
Upper bout width: 161 mm
Center bout width: 102 mm
Lower bout width: 200 mm
Upper rib height: 27-29 mm
Center rib height: 28-30 mm
Lower rib height: 27-30 mm
Stop length: 188 mm
Vibrating string length: 322 mm
Neck length (bottom of nut to ribs): 133 mm
ProvenanceAccording to Arne B. Larson, the violin was owned by Mercedes Ellison, a 1923 USD (?) graduate who married Jim T. Flannery. They lived in Pierre, South Dakota, and Mercedes worked in the state office. She died in 1980. The violin then became the property of Wilma(?) Backland (Mercedes’ sister) of Elk Point, South Dakota. It was given to Arne by Beulah and Cecil Thorson on March 24, 1983.
Gift of Arne B. Larson, Vermillion, South Dakota, 1988.
Credit LineGift of Arne B. Larson, 1988
Object number04371
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