DHV:
1123
Tourin ID:
Size:
Bass
Place Made:
Maker:
GB
London
Barak
Norman
Date:
1700
Label Text:
Barak Norman / At the Bass Violl / in St. Pauls Ally / London Fecit 1700 [handwritten]; Barak Norman London Fecit [stamped on table]; Sold by Alexdr. Livingstone / at his Shop in Birchen Lane near / the Royal Exchange, all sorts of / Musical Instruments Books and / Songs with Tunes, Strings, Rul’d Paper / etc.
Body Shape:
Viol
Current Location:
F
No. of Strings:
6
Collection:
Private Collection
Sound Holes:
C
Catalog Number:
Head:
Open scroll
Private Owner:
Yes
Previous Owner:
Charles Fogler, London, 1974-80; Margaret Harrison (in 1974); George St. George, c. 1890-1910
Measurements:
Body Length:
66.8
String Length:
69.5
Rib Depth:
11.8
Upper Width:
29.7
Middle Width:
Bottom Width:
35.5
Information
Source:
Sotheby’s 11/7/06, lot 262; Hebbert 2001, p. 296; Sotheby’s 5/22/80, lot 378; Sotheby’s 6/6/74, lot 150
Literature:
Sotheby’s 10/2/07, lot 332; Sotheby’s 11/7/06, lot 262; Hebbert 2001, p. 296 (1700:1); Wells 1983, p. 89; Wells 1980, p. 517; Sotheby’s 5/22/80, lot 378; Wells 1974a, p. 261; Sotheby’s 6/6/74, lot 150 [restoration report and annotated photo in Heale Archive]; van der Straeten 1910c, p. 359
Photographs:
Sotheby’s 10/2/07, lot 332, and Sotheby’s 11/7/06, lot 262 (F+B, head side); Hebbert 2001a, illustr. 8; Wells 1983, p. 87 (front); Wells 1980, p. 517 (F+B); Sotheby’s 5/22/80, lot 378 (F+B [color]); Sotheby’s 6/6/74, lot 150 (F+B); van der Straeten 1910b, p. 359 (front 3/4); [unpublished, in Heale Archive: label, top block, St. George’s restoration notes, sketch, and front-view photo]
Recordings:
Auctions:
Comments:
Sotheby’s 2007/10/02, lot 332; Sotheby’s 2006/11/07, lot 262; Sotheby’s 1980/05/22, lot 378; Sotheby’s 1974/06/06, lot 150
Sotheby’s: Table ornament with red stain; ‘tulips’ on back (top, middle, bottom); fingerboard and tailpiece elaborately inlaid; length of back 68.4 (1974) / 68.3 (1980) / 66.4 (2006/07); string length 69.2 (2006/07). Wells 1974: “needed considerable restoration”; Wells 1974 and 1980: with original marquetry fingerboard and tailpiece. Hebbert 2000: Restored by George St. George in 1890; by Michael Heale (new neck) 1976-77, between two sales at Sotheby’s, for then-owner. Heale has photos of it when owned by St. George in 1890s; his device appears in pencil on soundpost plate, with date 1890. Table ornament Type IV, back center Type III, upper and lower Type II.