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Bass viol

DateJune 1826
Place MadeWhatley, Massachusetts, United States, North America
SignedWritten in black ink on brown paper label with cut corners and slightly rounded upper and lower sides: BaſsViols / made and sold / by / J. Wait, Whatley / Maſs. June 1826
DescriptionFour other bass viols by Jeremiah Wait survive:
1826 Deerfield, MA, Historic Deerfield, Inc., #62.240
1829 New Haven, CT, Yale University, #4823.77
1832 Deerfield, MA, Memorial Hall Museum, #MH1449
? Whatley, MA, Whately Historical Society

Top: One-piece, slab-cut pine top: wide grain; top edge extends slightly into notch in neck heel; edge in this area not rounded
Back: one-piece slab-cut plain maple
Ribs: slab-cut maple: plain; one-piece lower rib
Head and neck: maple; plain; no channeling of pegbox or scroll; first turn of scroll volute deeply scooped; one fewer turn of scroll; pegbox shoulders concave and rounded
Purfling: two black-painted lines on back; lines discontinue at button and area features three "+" marks with dots in each corner; lines do not continue under fingerboard
Varnish: bright orange-brown paint
Fingerboard: black-stained maple; tapered; inlaid dots (under paint) marking first 4 stopped notes; 3 dots at first finger position, one each between strings; one dot at second finger position, to right of top string; one dot at third finger position, to left of lowest string; four dots at fourth finger position, one under each string
Nut: missing
Tailpiece: missing
Tailgut: missing
Pegs: three original walnut with undercut, flat heads with rectangular outline with rounded edges
Saddle: missing
Endpin: bright orange-brown painted maple; adjustable endpin spike of iron with brass screw and fixture; appears original (original bottom block only has small hole on inside for spike to pass)
F-holes: extremely rounded wings joined at top and bottom with scribed line separating them from rest of top; very small eyes
Linings: none; ribs set into channels in top and back
Corner blocks: none
Top block: hardwood; narrow; rounded shape with chisel marks; neck morticed into top block, with end of mortice visible in cutout area of top block
Bottom block: hardwood; narrow, rounded face
Bassbar: wide; long; low height
DimensionsTotal violoncello length: 1285 mm
Back length: 838 mm
Upper bout width: 376 mm
Center bout width: 250 mm
Lower bout width: 467 mm
Upper rib height: 116-118 mm
Center rib height: 115-118 mm
Lower rib height: 115-118 mm
Stop length: 447 mm
Vibrating string length: bridge marks indicate various positions between,673-703 mm, both above and below notches
Neck length (bottom of nut to ribs): 244 mm
Credit LineGift of Angela Schmeltekopf, 2024
Object number15805
On View
Not on view
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