Object Details
Description
This violin was made in Markneukirchen, Germany around 1880. This commercial violin from the J. Howard Foote collection was intended to be a copy of Vuillaume, with scratch marks and walnut stain applied in imitation of age and wear. It also bears spruce blocks and linings set into the corner blocks. The instrument was itemized in the Smithsonian accession documents of 1882 as cat. #1654, but does not correspond to listings in known Foote catalogs. It is described in the accession as: "Vuillaume" copy, plain ebony trimmings. This violin bears a reproduction Vuillaume label and is made of a two-piece table of spruce, two-piece back of maple with broad, even descending figure, ribs of complementary maple, similarly figured maple neck, pegbox and scroll, and is artificially shaded and stained, with a transparent reddish-orange varnish.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Gift of J. Howard Foote
Date made
1878 - 1882
ID Number
MI.055681
catalog number
55681
accession number
11535
Object Name
violin
Physical Description
ebony (tail piece; finger board; tuning pegs material)
spruce (table material)
maple (back material)
Measurements
overall: 24 in x 8 1/2 in x 5 in; 60.96 cm x 21.59 cm x 12.7 cm
Place Made
Germany: Saxony, Markneukirchen
Related Publication
Densmore, Frances. Handbook of the Collection of Musical Instruments in the United States National Museum.
See more items in
Culture and the Arts: Musical Instruments
Music & Musical Instruments
Violins
Data Source
National Museum of American History
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nmah_605537