Viola
Maker
Aldo Zani
Date1957-1958
Place MadeCesena, Emilia Romagna, Italy, Europe
Serial No.none
SignedFacsimile label with large drawing of castle on a hill, printed in red-brown ink on ivory paper, the year stamped in black ink, and the signature in black ink, both on a scroll that extends outside of the border of the rectangular label: 1958 / Zani [signature] / ALDO ZANI ~ FECE ~ CESENAWritten in black ink on inside of upper treble rib: Zani Cesena / 1957
Written in black ink on inside of lower treble rib: Zani Aldo 1957 / Cesena
Written in black ink on inside of upper bass rib: 1957 Zani / Cesena Aldo
Written in black ink on inside of lower bass rib: Zani Aldo 1957 / Cesena
Written in black ink on top block: 1957 Zani / Aldo
Written in black ink on bottom block: Zani / 1957
Note that all of the previous inscriptions are written with the top line of text toward the back of the Viola, and the bottom line of text toward the top of the Viola
MarkingsWritten in black ink on small ivory paper label [Dario D’Attili certificate number]: DDA 2876 / 131
DescriptionThe filled cracks on the top suggest that Zani may have used old or recycled wood that he had to repair, or that the top cracked in the process of construction, though before varnishing.
Top: two-piece, quarter-cut spruce: wide grain
Back: one-piece maple cut off-the-quarter: broad curl ascending from treble to bass
Ribs: quarter-cut maple: medium curl angled to left; rib corners chamfered
Head and neck: maple: prominent, medium curl; pegbox without shoulders
Edging: full, rounded edges
Purfling: wide center strip
Varnish: dark red; lighter on edges; thick with deep, widely spaced craquelure
Fingerboard: ebony; angled at C-string position
Nut: ebony
Tailpiece: varnished ebony; tulip-shaped; ridge on lower face; pointed lower end; ivory saddle
Tailgut: coated copper electrical wire
Pegs: four varnished ebony with ivory pins; convex, undercut heads
Saddle: ebony; set into top; finished with same varnish as body
Endpin: ebony with ivory pin; turned groove around edge
F-holes: lower wings channeled; undercut; inside edges stained black
Linings: poplar or willow; extend over corner blocks
Corner blocks: spruce; hole drilled into each corner block
Top block: spruce
Bottom block: spruce
Bassbar: very wide
Other: numerous rectangular spruce cleats on inside of top at center of lower bouts to reinforce wood defects predating viola construction: these defects are slightly visible on under the varnish as filled cracks
DimensionsTotal viola length: 685 mm
Back length: 420 mm
Upper bout width: 194 mm
Center bout width: 127 mm
Lower bout width: 245 mm
Upper rib height: 35-36 mm
Center rib height: 35-36 mm
Lower rib height: 36-37 mm
Stop length: 223 mm
Vibrating string length: 376 mm
Neck length (bottom of nut to ribs): 153 mm
Credit LineGift of Neal and Karin Meisel Steffenson, 1999
Object number07429
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