Octavo violin
Alternate name(s)
- Viola
- Octave violin
Maker
Oliver Jennings
Date1910
Place MadeMt. Sterling, Illinois, United States, North America
Modeloctavo violin (experimental model tuned one octave below violin)
Serial No.none
SignedTyped on large paper label, the signature in very faded black ink: Hand Made Octava / by Ollie Jennings Mt. Sterling Ill. / Price $65.oo - - - - - 1910 / The Idea of Prof. Rankendorf to / take the place of the 2’nd Viol. / is 1 octive [sic] lower than the violin / just 6 made. Attest _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ / Frank Bauer [signature]MarkingsScratched on ebony band dividing lower ribs: Frank / Bauer
Written in pencil on lower bass rib, near ebony band: No-77 / FB
Branded on bridge toward tailpiece: ∙JOHN JUZEK∙ / form / PRAGUE [in oval]
DescriptionExperimental bowed string instrument tuned one octave below the violin, with wide upper and lower bouts and corners without a reverse curve
Top: two-piece, quarter-cut spruce: wide grain
Back: one-piece, slab-cut maple: plain; edge shape continues over button; concave button with protruding upper edge; ebony cap over top edge of button
Ribs: semi-slab-cut maple: plain; upper and lower ribs overlap center ribs at corners; lower ribs divided by 19 mm wide ebony band
Head and neck: maple: medium curl; pegbox with shoulders
Arching: full; minimally re-curved
Edging: prominent edges on back
Purfling: thin outer strips
Varnish: medium brown with craquelure
Fingerboard: dark brown hardwood with open pores
Nut: ebony
Tailpiece: ebony
Tailgut: red gut
Pegs: four brown wood with varied color; bone eyes
Saddle: ebony; large
Endpin: black-varnished hardwood
F-holes: placed low on top; flared and pointed wings; large notches; notch corners rounded
Linings: open-pored hardwood
Corner blocks: unknown wood
Top block: spruce
Bottom block: spruce
Bassbar: rounded edges
Other: inside of body stained brown
DimensionsTotal octavo violin length: 671 mm
Back length: 383 mm
Upper bout width: 209 mm
Center bout width: 123 mm
Lower bout width: 256 mm
Body width at upper corners: 192 mm
Body width at lower corners: 226 mm
Distance between upper and lower corners on treble side: 98 mm
Distance between upper and lower corners on bass side: 94 mm
Upper rib height: 41-43 mm
Center rib height: 42-43 mm
Lower rib height: 42-44 mm
Stop length: 235 mm
Vibrating string length: 385 mm
Neck length (bottom of nut to ribs): 148 mm
ProvenanceArne B. Larson Collection, Vermillion, South Dakota, 1979.
Credit LineArne B. Larson Collection, 1979
Object number04996
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