Banjo-viola

late 19th century

Not on view

Oval-shaped viola with banjo-type body; table of stretched vellum with hoop around edge, fastened to sides and stretched by brass band and threaded steel tensioning rods; sides of bent maple in one piece, pierced between rods; back of stretched vellum, attached to sides by narrow bent strip of maple, screwed on ; maple neck and scroll, wedge at base of neck, four ebony pegs inserted laterally; four strings (two gut, one steel-wrapped gut extant); ebony fingerboard, nut and tailpiece, with tail gut attaching tailpiece to ebony bottom button; pegs and button with mother-of-pearl tips; maple viola bridge, with wooden brace under table at bridge.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

References

Title: Banjo-viola
Date: late 19th century
Geography: Germany
Culture: German
Medium: Wood, brass, ebony, mother of pearl
Dimensions: Overall: 21.5 x 6 x 65.5cm (8 7/16 x 2 3/8 x 25 13/16in.)
Classification: Chordophone-Lute-bowed-unfretted
Credit Line: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
Object Number: 89.4.2292
Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments

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