Violoncello
Maker
David Snyder
Date1849
Place MadeKutztown, Pennsylvania, United States, North America
SignedWritten in black ink on paper label, to be read through treble soundhole: Violince[llo] / by David Snyder / Kutztown April 6th [th superscript and underlined] 1849 / Tis Music's gentle strain - / Can sweetly Soothe and not betray / ShakespeareDescriptionThis cello, possibly made by one of several David Snyders living in Berks County, Pennsylvania who were cabinet makers, bears an poetic quote on the label. While ascribed by the writer of the label to Shakespeare, it is actually a paraphrase of the final lines from the poem On Music by Sir Thomas Moore, from his Irish Melodies, published with musical setting between 1807 and 1834. "Oh! 'tis only music's strain. Can sweetly soothe, and not betray."
Top: Two-piece pine or spruce cut off-the-quarter: wide grain broadening to very wide and semi-slab at edges
Back: one-piece slab cut brown hardwood, possibly walnut
Ribs: maple cut off-the-quarter: plain; mahogany raised reinforcement at lower center rib joint, possibly later
Head and neck: maple; plain; long scarf joint along neck attaching heel and upper portion of neck to that of the scroll and lower portion of neck; simply, stylized scroll with one fewer turn
Purfling: two black-painted lines, spaced widely apart, the outer line thicker; does not continue under fingerboard or tailpiece
Fingerboard: ebony; slightly tapered
Nut: ebony
Tailpiece: mahogany; no saddle, tailgut passes through holes drilled in face; flat underside
Tailgut: iron wire
Pegs: black-painted maple with slightly concave, undercut heads and short stems; integral carved discs at end of heads
Saddle: mahogany
Endpin: maple with hole at center for wooden extension to be inserted
F-holes: rounded wings
Linings: dark-stained hardwood, very narrow in upper and lower bouts; wider in center bouts and possible later there
Corner blocks: spruce or pine; small
Top block: integral with neck; slightly wider at joint with top
Bottom block: dark-stained wood; very narrow
Bassbar: carved from inside of top; short; narrow
DimensionsTotal violoncello length: 1242 mm
Back length: 740 mm
Upper bout width: 335 mm
Center bout width: 215 mm
Lower bout width: 410 mm
Upper rib height: 103-105 mm
Center rib height: 103-105 mm
Lower rib height: 103-108 mm
Stop length: 403 mm
Vibrating string length: 691 mm
Neck length (bottom of nut to ribs): 288 mm
ProvenanceThis cello was discovered by Albert Kaplan in a shop in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the mid-1970s. It was exhibited as part of the Violin Society of America exhibition at the Van Pelt Library at University of Pennsylvania from November 1 to December 31, 1976. It was later given to Philip Kass when Albert Kaplan could not longer play it.
Credit LineGift of Philip Kass, 2024
Object number15793
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