DHV:
1018
Tourin ID:
Size:
Bass
Place Made:
Maker:
GB
London (Holborne)
Henry
Smith
Date:
1637
Label Text:
Henry Smith against Hatton House [in Holborne?], London 1637; [Sotheby’s: “**Smith***London***1637”]
Body Shape:
Viol
Current Location:
GB
Haslemere
No. of Strings:
6
Collection:
Private Collection
Sound Holes:
C
Catalog Number:
Head:
Female
Private Owner:
Yes
Previous Owner:
Charles Fogler, London, early 1970s-before 1990 (?); Jane Ryan, London, mid 1960s-mid 1970s; Francis Baines -mid 1960s
Measurements:
Body Length:
69.3
String Length:
68
Rib Depth:
12.4
Upper Width:
31.4
Middle Width:
23.1
Bottom Width:
38
Information
Source:
TGM visit 7/14; C. Fogler to TGM, 2/10; Fleming 2001: VME 31; VdGS(GtB) Newsletter No. 101 (Apr. 1998), p. 5; Sotheby’s 11/17/94, lot 45; Sotheby’s 11/18/93, p. 26, Lot 63
Literature:
Bowen 2006, p. 9; Fleming 2001: VME 31; Boby 1998), p. 5; Montagu 1995, p. 180; Sotheby’s 11/17/94, lot 45; Sotheby’s 11/18/93, Lot 63
Photographs:
Fleming & Bryan 2016, pl. 8 (head side [color], p. 80 (head back); Fleming 2001: VME F31 (front body only), L30 (rosette) [both color]; Sotheby’s 11/17/94, lot 45 (F+B [color]); Sotheby’s 11/18/93, lot 63 (F+B [color]); [by TGM: head+pegbox back, head only front+top; label (color)]; [unpublished, from M. Fleming: F+S, 2 back details (color))
Recordings:
Auctions:
Comments:
Sotheby’s 1994/11/17, lot 45; Sotheby’s 1993/11/18, lot 63
3-piece table, 2-piece back, both with single purfling (Fleming 2001 said double, and 5-piece table; his dimensions 69.2, 31.2/23.1/38.0, 12.4, -). Oval rosette, open-back pegbox with floral carving on sides. Did not sell at Sotheby’s either 11/18/93 or 11/17/94 (their dimensions BL 69.2, SL 68.6; Montagu 1995: “a bass viol, some of which was by Henry Smith...once again failed to sell.”), but bought subsequently through them. Had already been reconverted to viol from cello, but badly. Restored by Roger Rose 1997-98: new soundpost plate and cross bars (his Edinburgh paper 6/00: back did originally have upper and lower crossbars, but no corner blocks), fingerboard and tailpiece (replacing non-original ones reported and shown by Sotheby’s), pegs and bridge; existing neck retained, with grafted and probably original head. Fogler’s former ownership confirmed by him to TGM 2/10; he bought from Ryan (his teacher); her purchase from Baines told to TGM via Fleming, also 2/10. Her request (early 1970s?) for repair of bad crack in table resulted in massive lining (doubling) of entire body, which thereafter looked better than it sounded. TGM visit 7/14 (with M. Fleming and S. Mackey): varnish all modern; table and back purflings don’t match; rosette somewhat crude; carving on pegbox sides lesser quality than head; curvature of C-bouts quite different from that on 1629 Smith (and the very similar ex-Kessler “Rose”); handwriting and ink of date different from rest of label.