DHV:
1078
Tourin ID:
Size:
Bass
Place Made:
Maker:
GB
London
Barak
Norman ?
Date:
1718
Label Text:
Barak Norman / At The Bass Violin / St. Pauls Churchyard / 17*8 [sic?]
Body Shape:
Viol
Current Location:
B
Liège
No. of Strings:
7
Collection:
Private Collection
Sound Holes:
C
Catalog Number:
Head:
Scroll
Private Owner:
Yes
Previous Owner:
Charles Medlam, Hollington near Newbury, Berkshire, 1978- ; Joy Hall?
Measurements:
Body Length:
71.5
String Length:
69
Rib Depth:
14
Upper Width:
32.5
Middle Width:
24.4
Bottom Width:
40.5
Information
Source:
Fleming to TGM, 6/06; Medlam to TGM, 10/95; Sotheby’s 5/16/78, lot 339
Literature:
Hebbert 2001, p. 303 (1718:3); Wells 1978, pp. 583-84; Sotheby’s 5/16/78, lot 339
Photographs:
Wells 1978, p. 582 (front); Sotheby’s 5/16/78, lot 339 (F+B); [unpublished, from M. Fleming 6/06: FB+S (color)]
Recordings:
Zipperling 2012a (English), 2012b (Marais); Pierlot 2000 (Schaffrath, etc.); Medlam 1994 (Lawes); Medlam 1994a (Couperin); Medlam 1993 (Lawes); Medlam 1993a (Purcell); Medlam 1983 (Venedig nach Wien); Medlam 1982 (Distracted Tymes)
Auctions:
Comments:
Sotheby’s 1978/05/16, lot 339
Table may not be original: no ornament, and wood is coarser than rest of body. Back ornaments all non-standard for Norman: 3 different at top, center, and bottom; center is neither “tulips” nor BN. Neck, fingerboard, and scroll are not original, made in 1978 by Dietrich Kessler to convert it to 7 strings for Charles Medlam. Older, illegible label under BN’s, itself difficult to read: perhaps this is an older English viol repaired in Norman’s workshop? Sotheby’s: “The head...by another maker, possibly Irish...” (only 6 strings in their photo); length of back 73.4.