Prescott Bass Viol or Violoncello

This Bass Viol or Violoncello was made by Abraham Prescott in Concord, New Hampshire, around 1831-1833. It has a two-piece table of pine; two-piece back of American maple with fine even horizontal figure; ribs of similar maple; moderately figured maple neck, pegbox and scroll with metal tuning mechanism; semi-opaque reddish-brown varnish.

This instrument retains many original features intact, including the neck, black painted finger-board, tailpiece and nut. The ribs are inlaid into channeling on the table and back and the instrument bears a single purfling. It has an original printed label:

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
ABRAHAM PRESCOTT
MANUFACTURER AND DEALER IN
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
OF EVERY DESCRIPTION
NEARLY OPPOSITE THE AMERICAN HOTEL
CONCORD, N.H.

The original metal tuning mechanism bears the composite brand stamp:

A. PRESCOTT
CONCORD
N.H.

Abraham Prescott (1789-1858) was one of the most prolific of the bass viol makers. A self-taught instrument maker, he began his craft in Deerfield, New Hampshire, in 1809 and moved his business to Concord in 1831, where he continued to make violoncellos, bass viols, and double basses (and later reed organs and pianos) until about 1850. Prescott instruments are often fitted with machine-head tuning gears instead of more usual pegs.