DHV:
1667
Tourin ID:
Size:
Treble
Place Made:
Maker:
D
Leipzig
Johann Christian
Hoffmann
Date:
1740 C
Label Text:
Joh: Christian Hoffmann, / König. Poln. und Churf. / Sächs. Hoff Instrument und / Lautenmacher in Leipzig. [handwritten]
Body Shape:
Viol
Current Location:
D
Leipzig
No. of Strings:
-4
Collection:
Bach-Archiv
Sound Holes:
C
Catalog Number:
DLG 104
Head:
Scroll
Private Owner:
Previous Owner:
Measurements:
Body Length:
40.3
String Length:
36.6
Rib Depth:
4.7
Upper Width:
18.6
Middle Width:
13.2
Bottom Width:
24.2
Information
Source:
Martius 2015, pp. 374-75
Literature:
Martius 2015, pp. 374-75
Photographs:
Martius 2015, pp. 183 (top block [color]), 245 (rosette), 374-75 (F+B, head S, label [color])
Recordings:
Auctions:
Comments:
Martius JCH 49. Table with single purfling plus an extra track of ebony, rosette, and integral bass bar (intruding into rosette). 1-piece back and ribs of (”exquisite”) bird’s eye maple; small corner blocks. Modern neck, mortised (original was nailed); grafted pegbox, originally for 6 pegs but now with 4; original scroll. Dark, almost black varnish. Clumsy handwriting of label prompted past doubts, but comparison with JCH 39 (pardessus), confirms this is a late work by J.C. Hoffmann. Dendrochronology (by Micha Beuting) gives date of 1719 for youngest growth ring on table. Probably converted to a viola by “Johann Friedrich Schäfer / Instrumentmacher in Dresden / Reparirt / Oberseergaße / N. 30” (handwritten, on treble-side middle rib; he received Bürgerrecht in 1813); “Georg Wa. Cütter / 1964” (handwritten on underside of table) probably only did repairs and/or new fittings. On loan to Bach-Archiv from estate of a collector since 2010.