DHV:
794
Tourin ID:
SMITH 1
Size:
Bass
Place Made:
Maker:
GB
London
Barak
Norman
Date:
1718
Label Text:
Barak Norman / at the Bass Viol in / St: Pauls Church=y: / London Fecit / 1718 [printed except 1718]; Barak / Norman / London / Fecit [stamped on table]; BN monogram in center of back
Body Shape:
Viol
Current Location:
USA
Washington, DC
No. of Strings:
6
Collection:
Smithsonian Institution
Sound Holes:
C
Catalog Number:
65.1412
Head:
Male
Private Owner:
Previous Owner:
W.E. Hill & Sons, London, 1961-65; Mabel Chaplin (& heirs), London, 1915-61; Hill & Sons, -1915; George Saint George
Measurements:
Body Length:
67.8
String Length:
68.5
Rib Depth:
12.7
Upper Width:
30.8
Middle Width:
23
Bottom Width:
37.7
Information
Source:
TGM visits 1992-94; Monical 1989, pp.18-9; Smithsonian files; JVdGSA 4 (1967): 50-2
Literature:
Hebbert 2001, pp. 302-03 (1718:1); Monical 1989, pp.18-19; Yokoyama 1986, pp. 170-72; JVdGSA 4 (1967): 50-2
Photographs:
On museum’s website (front, head F+B, 3/4, table ornament, back ornaments, 1 rib ornament [color]; FB+Sl, table ornament); Monical 1989, pp.18-9 (FB+S, head 3/4); Yokoyama 1986, pp. 127-31 (F+B, head 3/4, details of neck foot, hookbar, center bout; all color); Slowik 1982 (Smithsonian Recordings N 029), pp. 8 (table ornament), 12 (FB+S); Evett 1970, cover (head 3/4) & p. 58 (front 7/8); JVdGSA 4 (1967), 50-1 (FB+S)
Recordings:
Slowik 1982 (Handel); Davidoff 1970 (Bach Violin)
Auctions:
Comments:
Original neck, pegbox and head. Table ornament Type VI, back center BN monogram, upper Type IIIa, lower Type III; double purfling on both table and back, extensive decoration on ribs. Pegbox has carved back and sides, also purfling outline on back, sides, and front edges. Fingerboard and tailpiece ebony veneer with double ivory lines on 3 edges; per Monical, former is original, latter only old; bridge by Monical. Monical (and Smithsonian database) dimensions 67.8, 30.7/23.1/37.6, 12.7, 68.6.