DHV:
1273
Tourin ID:
Size:
Bass
Place Made:
Maker:
Date:
Label Text:
John Roos / 1.5.8.5 [handwritten]
Body Shape:
Viol
Current Location:
NL
Amsterdam
No. of Strings:
7
Collection:
Rijksmuseum
Sound Holes:
C
Catalog Number:
BK-KOG-1347-B
Head:
Male
Private Owner:
Previous Owner:
Actual owner is the Koninklijk Oudheidkundig Genootschap, Amsterdam (gift of J. Kneppelhout, 1868); on long-term loan to the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague, 1952-2012 (MUZ-1952x0144 [0841155]); on loan to the Rijksmuseum 1885-1952 and again 2012-
Measurements:
Body Length:
71
String Length:
73.7
Rib Depth:
13.1
Upper Width:
32.4
Middle Width:
24
Bottom Width:
40.9
Information
Source:
Website of Rijksmuseum (seen 6/14); Liedmeier and Latcham 2009; G Liedmeier to TGM, 6/01 & 4/04
Literature:
Liedmeier and Latcham 2009; Fleming 2001, p. 181, n. 879; Balfoort 1939, pp. 34-35
Photographs:
On museum’s website (front [color]); from museum, 1/16 (FB+S, head F+S [color]); Liedmeier and Latcham 2009, pp. 168-69 (front, label), 176-77 (head 3/4, bass C-hole); also 198-99 (front, front 7/8 in case, head 3/4 [color])
Recordings:
Auctions:
Comments:
3-piece table with double purfling and low arching; unpurfled 2-piece back and ribs of walnut (back widths 32.5/23.7/40.6). “Cracks on all surfaces, old traces of woodworm. Sides, back and belly very distorted and damaged.” Legibility of surname impaired by water damage to label. Crossbars above and below soundpost plate, both with “little blocks glued to the ribs on top of them at the ends.” Linen linings between ribs and back (but not table) and at corners, parchment at back fold. Both top and bottom blocks original. Neck and head apparently original (head very similar to those on Gemeentemuseum’s Rombouts viols dated 1708 and 1726); fingerboard with ebony veneer possibly original; ebony pegs with ivory pips at both ends. Very dark varnish, perhaps not original. Original case survives: wood covered with leather outside and felt inside. Carbon 14 dating suggests date after 1659, of fine quality but unknown origin (possibly Dutch; not English, French, or German). Rijksmuseum website: attributed to Pieter Rombouts, c. 1700; acquired 1885.