Violin
Maker
Charles M. Woolworth
Date1914
Place MadeOttumwa, Iowa, United States, North America
ModelStainer / New Model
Serial No.125
SignedPrinted on paper label, the year and serial number written in black ink: NEW MODEL, HIGH GRADE VIOLIN/ Made by C. M. WOOLWORTH, / OTTUMWA, IOWA, U. S. A. / 1914No. 125Markingsnone
DescriptionCharles M. Woolworth was born in Deerfield, Oneida County, New York in 1848, son of the harness maker Solomon Woolworth (1822, Jefferson, New York-1871, Chicago) and Abigail Pierce Rowell (1826, Waterville, New York - 1863, Waterville). He had moved to Iowa by 1874, when his son Lee A. Woolworth was born. In the 1880 Census, C. M.Woolworth is listed as a carriage and wagon maker in Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa. His son Lee A. Woolworth died on November 7, 1901, and was known in the Ottumwa area as a musician and composer. His “Company G, I. N. G.” [Iowa National Guard] March was published by Barnhouse in 1902. All Woolworth violins at the National Music Museum: NMM 10,286 made in 1898, No. 105; NMM 10,077 made in 1898, No. 106; NMM 10,290 made in 1902, No. 122; and NMM 4860 made in 1914, No. 125.
Top: one-piece, quarter-cut pine: wide grain, narrowing toward the treble, broadening toward the bass
Back: one-piece, quarter-cut maple: medium curl, descending slightly from treble to bass; small button
Ribs: quarter-cut maple: medium curl, angled to right on bass side, angled to left on treble side
Head and neck: maple: faint, narrow curl; stippled pegbox sides with raised, unstippled borders at edges and around peg holes, the stippling ending in a point at first turn of scroll; slight channel under fingerboard position; dowel holes at upper and lower ends under fingerboard position
Arching: high at center; full
Edging: deeply and sharply scooped inside edge, forming ridge with chamfered top edge, the lowest point just inside purfling
Purfling: wide center strips; curves inward and extends fingerboard; extends under tailpiece
Varnish: light golden-brown on body, later; light brown on scroll and pegbox
Fingerboard: missing
Nut: missing
Saddle: ebony; extends into ribs nearly to endpin; triangular bottom end, the point cut off
Endpin: ebony with mother-of-pearl eye
F-holes: curved wings; highly offset notches
Linings: spruce
Corner blocks: spruce; corners chamfered
Top block: integral with neck; wider at top; corners slightly chamfered
DimensionsTotal violin length: 582 mm
Back length: 358 mm
Upper bout width: 166 mm
Center bout width: 109 mm
Lower bout width: 212 mm
Upper rib height: 28-29 mm
Center rib height: 28-29 mm
Lower rib height: 28-29 mm
Stop length: 197 mm
Vibrating string length: 322 mm
Neck length (bottom of nut to ribs): 126 mm
Credit LineArne B. Larson Estate
Object number04860
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