Viola da Gamba Society of America

Alto Viol made in 1997 by Norman Myall of London, England, for George Hunter, modelled on a Jaye viol in the Victoria and Albert Museum. In a Kingman case (no bow – I use my treble bow). I bought it in 2011 from the Estate of George Hunter for US $7,000. With papers proving provenance.

2020 Bass viol by Francis Beaulieu (after Henry Jaye). Price includes a custom-made case by Maurizio Riboni. More pictures upon request.

I will be bringing the viol to conclave this July.

David Foster 6-String Bass Viol with case and two bows. It plays well. Finish shows wear, needs a string, and the back has separated slightly over a 5-inch length (photos available). One bow is a Walter Mettal. Priced to sell. Offers considered in the $3000-$4000 range. Contact me for more photos.

The gamba is labeled "Sidney Greenstien, maker of fine instruments #3 1980" The back is made of Big Leaf Maple and the front is fine grained spruce, the fingerboard Pale rosewood. A brazil wood bow is included. There is a handmade wooden case of mahogany.

Michael Plant/Sheffield, 1986 England
The table of two-piece spruce cut on the quarter bears a medium to wide grain. The back of maple is two pieces cut on 45° bears a highly flamed straight horizontal figure with geometric purfling design running along the center of the instrument. The ribs are of high flamed maple
cut on 45°. The original maple neck is terminated in a peg-box and open scroll with a half
volute. The varnish is of transparent orange color on a yellow ground.
Soft and hard case included.

English style treble Viola da Gamb a by Clark Gaiennie. Handwritten label: "Clark Gaiennie/maker/Somerville, Mass./Dec. 1984." Two-piece belly of medium grain spruce; ribs and 2-piece back of mildly flamed maple. Fingerboard and tailpiece ebony veneer; maple hookbar; ebony pegs; ivory nut. A beautiful instrument (in a not very beautiful case).

Dominic Shann 1981 C alto viol, perfect for Purcell and Locke consorts; bridge to nut string length: 39.5 cm. Early Music Shop UK hard case. Can pack and ship at cost.

Five string vielle by Westover Workshops, 1989, neck with carved head. Body length 438 mm, string length 472 mm. Unmarked serviceable bow and handmade custom plywood box case included. Excellent condition.

This 2018 Violone is made by the Charlie Ogle workshop, purchased in 2019 directly from the maker in Eugene, OR. 95cm string length.

Daniel Foster bass viola da gamba (1984) for sale. Instrument is constructed in the Barak Norman style and is in excellent condition. Instrument string length is 67.5 cm. New frets and strings recently placed on instrument by master luthier Edward Maday in NYC. Sound is dark and rich. Neck is fast. Excellent for a seasoned musician. Hard case and bow included. Examination in NYC is always possible. Sale references available upon request. Contact me for pricing (which is reasonable) and other details..

Beautiful historical 5 string treble viol, circa 1700, Germanic origin. With bow and hardshell case.

Length of the top: 385mm
Width upper bout: 193mm
Width middle bout: 128mm
Width lower bout: 235mm

Historical 6 string viol, Dutch origin, circa 1650. 69cm string length.
Length of top: 667mm
Width upper bout : 296mm
Width middle bout: 230mm
Width lower bout: 380mm

Includes custom pro case

Treble viol after John Rose by Robert Eyland, 1980. This instrument is part of a chest of six matched viols commissioned by Allison Crum and Trevor Jones for the Consort of Musicke Viol Consort. It has been played professionally for many years and can be heard on recordings of the Consort of Musicke and the Dowland Consort, among others. It's in beautiful condition, sounds and plays well. Label inside reads: The Rose Chest No.4. This viol is part of a sett commemorating the work of John Rose of Bridewell, London. Hard case included.

This Viol was made by Edward Maday in 1986.

The wood has a rich auburn color. The timber has a rich resound, ideal for soloist or consort gambists. Tuning is surprisingly easy.

The Viol and hard case are in pristine condition.

The length of the Viol is 126cm and the vibrating string length is 70cm.
The length of the case is 136cm, the width is52cm and the depth 24cm.

A full set of unused Sensicore strings is included. For additional details and photos please email me

Large consort bass: Zuchowicz 73 cm vibrating string length. One of the "Illinois Chest" built in 1986. Sonorous, full bass sound, speaks quickly, remarkable instrument. With hard case.

Specs: 77 cm string length, no top d string. Lovely lower range, excellent consort bass for Renaissance music. All gut strings. Date: 2012. Includes Pringle Renaissance bow (black hair) and soft case.

Festooned pardessus constructed of alternating staves of figured maple and walnut. Based on historic iconography.
31.5cm string length, strings a custom set by Boston Catlines, great projection, a rich bass and sweet brilliant treble range.
Comes in hardshell case. Made by Christopher Davies, Portland Oregon.
$3400

Daniel Foster bass viol for sale- label 1985 no. 79. Good shape - some finish worn and needs a string restrung. Includes 2 bows.

Bass Viol, 6 string
after Barak Norman, c. 1700
built by Paul Hart
Salt Lake City, Utah. 1978.

The tone, playability, and expressiveness of this gem of a division viol will surely be of exemplary service in the pursuit of your interpretive goals and ideals. A masterful instrument built by a long-standing master luthier.

Dimensions:
Vibrating string length: 66 cm
Upper bout: 28.1 cm
Lower bout: 36 cm
Body depth: 13 cm
Body length: 63.5 cm
Total length: 118.7 cm

Please contact Laszlo at steinhoff.lr@gmail.com for more information, photos, or to trial. Located in Baltimore but can discuss transport.

This instrument is made with figured maple back and spruce top. It has purfled borders on the top, three purfled ornaments on the back, and a carved head. This model instrument is suitable for both consort and solo playing. Soft case is included. The viol has been refurbished under the direction of Gail Schroeder.

Excellent condition violone by Hans Jordan (1940), sold with exceptional bow by Gunther Hellwig. Instrument comes with perfectly-fitting gig bag. You will want to invest in new strings. Currently set up as a D-violone, but would serve well as a G-violone. String length: 90 cm; bottom ribs width: 51.5 cm; top ribs width: 40 cm; body depth: 17 cm; bridge height: 11.5 cm; nut width: 4.75 cm. More pictures here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/puFqqEGZzRxEZs6g8

Two lovely gamba bows. I am not sure of the maker. See photo. More photos available. Excellent condition.

This Bow, made by H. Grabenstein, is in excellent condition.
The weight is 55 grams, the length is 72cm

Excellent condition, used professionally as a gamba bow and also for baroque cello. Purchased in 1983. Bow case included.

Heavy-duty, black, in excellent condition, with a nylon carrying case and magnets. Local sale only.

Voices of Music is looking to buy, rent or borrow a Wesley Brandt bass viol based on any of Wes's three Jaye bass originals. The bass is for our upcoming concerts and filming projects for our YouTube channel.
We have trebles and tenors and are looking only for a Brandt Jaye bass. Thanks so much!

The Highlands Community Orchestra is a Sight Reading Baroque Orchestra in Denver Colorado that practices on Saturday Morning from 10 to 12:30 . We have played together for 15 years and have a library of over 100 boxes of music. We are looking for a musician to join our group. Advanced intermediate musicians who play a violin family instrument (violists must also play violin), or a gamba family instrument or a recorder family instrument (must play both "c" and "f" fingering or a traverso player are welcome.

I was the high bidder on a Skinner auction in June 2021 for the Grabenstein bow in the image. It was supposed to be shipped from Marlborough, Massachusetts to San Diego, California via FedEx by Global Pack Ship. The FedEx delivery person handed me a completely empty tube. Unbelievably, I could see straight through the empty PVC tube. If anyone has any information, please feel free to contact me.

On March 1, 2006, in UK: A 7-string viola da gamba, made in London in 1979 (maker's name not remembered) owned by the Birmingham Conservatoire in a black soft tight-fitted case with a bow by Roger Doe. It has orange yellow varnish and an intricatly carved head in the shape of a griffin, worn frets, and a great sound. Bow is a normal cello/gamba model with screw frog in dark wood. The case also had in it a Bolivian string bag. If anyone has any info please contact Henrik Persson, tel. +44 (0) 7812 050669.

Treble viol by West Dean Workshop 1999/2000, stolen week of October 7, 2002; Viol bow by Roger Rose; Black hard case by Kingham. Please contact Alison Crum regarding this viol, +44 20 8452 3254, or email

Two bows stolen from the Longy School of Music, Boston: (1) Baroque Cello/Bass Gamba bow 77.3 grams; stick highly figured snakewood stamped CF English and #345. Round stick, fluted 4.5 inches in grip area. Frog slides on Vuillaume style half-round track. (2) Baroque Cello/Bass Bow 79.5 grams; stick African Blackwood stamped #358 on stick under frog. Round stick fluted 4.5 inches in grip area Frog slides on Vuillaume style half-round track. Please notify Christopher English

On January 3, 2008, in UK: Dark rosewood instrument with a brace of aluminum and stainless steel. The reverse of the instrument has a tag that says "Jensen" and it was stolen in a black tubular case with a black preamp the size and shape of cobble. For pictures or to contact the poster please visit http://lorenludwig.com.

Found June 2018 in Durham NC. Six-string Chinese Song bass viol with carved head. Turned in at local guitar shop after being “found” in a dumpster.

A student-model, German-make, reddish tenor, with label "Buchstainer 1976" inside was stolen from Lucy Cross's apartment in New York on September 7, 2003. It's in a soft case with no handle (ripped off, and still in the apartment), with a bow by Uebel, extra strings (with Bill Monical's name on them), and a cake of rosin with thick wooden sides to it. The case is much too big for the instrument. If you come across this viol or hear about it, please contact the VdGSA webmasters.

I would like to report a viol gone astray (possibly stolen) while being shipped from Michgan to Pennsylvania in June 1998. Early (60's?) bass viol with hard case and bow, Shuster & Sons. Many signs of wear. Photos available. If anyone comes across it, please report its whereabouts to: Bob Purrenhage, 113 Central Ave., Berwyn, PA 19312; phone (610) 993-0936 or e-mail

A treble viol made by Dan Foster in 1980 has turned up in the Chicago area under circumstances that suggest it had been stolen. If you think you may have information about this instrument or its last owner, please send an email to the VdGSA webmasters.