Hardingfele
Alternate name(s)
- Hardanger violin
- Hardanger fiddle
- Harding fiddle
- Hardingfela
Repaired by
O. Løseth
Date1906
Place MadeNorway, Europe
Serial No.none
SignedIn ink, readable and facing bass f-hole: K. O. D. [or O.] B. 1906Readable and facing bass f-hole, but the “H” in Loseth is partially obstructed by the soundpost”: Nytt lokk påsatt 1967 / av / O. LØSETH / FANNREM 1961 [61 is handwritten]
MarkingsWritten in pencil near lower corner block on inside, bass side: 22x
Something similar, but partially obliterated on same side by upper corner block and also by treble upper corner block. This or similar notation is not evident by lower corner block on treble side.
DescriptionA hardanger violin, with four melody strings (one is broken) and four sympathetic
strings. The decoration is typical of a hardanger, including the carved human head, inlaid fingerboard and tailpiece (mother-of-pearl and bone), and ink drawings on the belly, sides, and back. The back is a two-piece back. There is a chin rest and one fine tuner. There is a bass bar but no central thickening or bar along inside of back as found on older instruments. There are corners blocks and linings inside. Strings are attached by hooks to tailpiece, which in turn is attached by hook to endbutton. Pencil marks are evident, particularly on ribs, where design may have been sketched or traced before it was inked onto instrument. The belly is decidedly arched by f-holes which are not nicked.
Pattern on matching fingerboard and tailpiece alternates.
DimensionsLength of body: 14 1/8” (35.2 cm)
Upper bout: 6 ¼” (16.5 cm)
Lower bout: 7 ¾” (19.5 cm)
Center bout: 10.5 cm
Thickness of ribs: 3.3 cm
Overall length: 64.4 cm
Vibrating string length: 30.5 cm
Length of fingerboard without nut: 22.8 cm
Length of tailpiece: 13 cm
Published ReferencesReidar Sevåg, “The Harding Fiddle,” From Bone Pipe and Cattle Horn to Fiddle and Psaltry Copenhagen: Musikhistorisk Museum, 1972), pp. 18-24 (ML462.C77 M82)
"Musical Country Cousins. A Look at some rare folk instruments." _Selmer Bandwagon, no. 58 (1969), p.11
Credit LineGift of Arne B. Larson, 1988
Object number04344
On View
Not on view
