Bass viol
Maker
Jeremiah Wait
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 1826DescriptionFour 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
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