Viola d’amore
Date1700-1800 ca.
Place MadeGermany, Europe
SignednoneDescriptionThis is the survivng body of a Germanic viola d'amore of unknown maker. Top: two-piece, quarter-cut spruce: narrow grain broadening to medium at the edges; pin through top into top block on treble side of center joint; four wood pins through top into bottom block
Back: two-piece, maple cut off-the-quarter: irregular, broad curl; break in upper bout
Ribs: maple cut off-the-quarter: medium, irregular curl; lower rib divided by later ebony strip
Head and neck: missing
Purfling: inlaid purfling on top; none on back; top bound in dark brown stained maple or fruitwood
Varnish: dark red-brown
Saddle: ebony
Endpin: none
Soundholes: flame-shaped
Linings: spruce and poplar or willow
Corner blocks: spruce
Top block: spruce
Bottom block: spruce
Bassbar: spruce; later
Back braces: spruce braces with tapered ends in upper and lower bouts; wide, low spruce brace in center bout; spruce graft along back joint
DimensionsTop length: 387 mm
Upper bout width: 189 mm
Center bout width: 130 mm
Lower bout width: 225 mm
Upper rib height: 40-51 mm
Center rib height: 49-51 mm
Lower rib height: 46-51 mm
Stop length: 204 mm
ProvenancePurchased by the National Music Museum from Laurence Witten family, New Haven, Connecticut, 1984.
Credit LineWitten-Rawlins Collection, 1984
Object number03479
On View
Not on view
1700-1800 ca.
1625-1630 ca.
