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American Folk Fiddle

National Museum of American History

Object Details

Description
This violin was made in the United States around 1840-1860 by an unknown maker. It is made with ribs set into channeling of the table and back without corner blocks or linings. The fingerboard is of maple, stained black, with a paper finger position chart showing notes from a-flat to d'''-sharp glued to the fingerboard. The violin has a case that is a rectangular, compartmented box of unfinished pine, nailed together. It has a hinged top, and is lined with machine-printed wallpaper. The date for this violin is based on the historical period when this type of paper was popularly used in the United States. This violin is made from a one-piece table of pine with exaggerated ā€œSā€ sound-holes, back of similar pine, cut on the slab, ribs of plain maple, maple neck, pegbox and crude scroll, and is stained a reddish-brown color.
Location
Currently not on view
1840-1860
ID Number
1981.0864.01
accession number
1981.0864
catalog number
1981.0864.01
Object Name
fiddle
Physical Description
pine (back material)
maple (part material)
Measurements
overall: 23 in x 8 1/8 in x 2 3/4 in; 58.42 cm x 20.6375 cm x 6.985 cm
Place Made
United States
See more items in
Culture and the Arts: Musical Instruments
Music & Musical Instruments
Violins
National Museum of American History
Record ID
nmah_605635
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a4-3185-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Related Content

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    Smithsonian Music
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