Stenkjondalen Hardanger Fiddle

This hardanger fiddle was made by Ellef Johnsen Stenkjondalen in Bø, Norway, in 1870. It is made of a three-piece table of cedar, back of plain birch in two pieces, and ribs of similar birch. The plain birch neck is terminated in an ornamented pegbox and stylized carved dragon head with a semi-opaque orange-brown varnish. The veneered fingerboard (made of either ebony or horn) and tailpiece are decorated en suite. The instrument has four bowed and four sympathetic strings. The fiddle was donated with the bow cataloged as MI.381919a. There is a handwritten label inside the instrument:

Fabrikeret af
Ellef Johnsen Stenkjondalen
Bo’ Pgd. 1870.

Ellef Johnsen Steintjonndalen (Stenkjondalen) lived from 1821 to 1876 in the small community of Bø in Telemark and was the second son of the fiddle maker John Eriksen Helland. In the 19th century the Helland-Steintjonndalen family developed the style of hardanger fiddle that became a dominating standard for all makers. The elaborate fine line ink ornaments with inlaid mother-of-pearl on table, back, and tailpiece on this instrument represent the fully developed style of this family of makers. Knut G. (1880-1919) and Gunnar G. Helland (1885-1976) went to Chippawa Falls, Wisconsin, operating a violin and hardingfele business from 1909 to 1924. Gunnar moved to Fargo, North Dakota in 1929, retiring in 1962 at the age of 77.