Violin by Giovanni Paolo Maggini, Brescia, before 1632
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NMM 3365. Violin by Giovanni Paolo Maggini, Brescia,
before 1632. Witten-Rawlins Collection, 1984.
Front and Back of Body
Signature text: printed on paper label: Gio. Paolo Maggini in Breſcia.
Identifying Marks Other Than Signature: scratched on bass side of back button: S.
Stamped with metal dies on lower treble rib near endpin: 0 / 12
Description: top: two-piece, quarter-cut spruce, very fine grain; maple pin through top into top block on bass side of center joint; maple pin through top into bottom block on treble side of center joint, inside both purfling strips
Back: two-piece maple, cut off-the-quarter, narrow curl descending from center joint; maple pin through back into top block on treble side of center joint, between purfling strips; maple pin through back into bottom block on bass side of center joint, under outer purfling strip; later button with ebony cap
Ribs: slab-cut maple, faint, broad curl; rib corners rounded; lower rib joint slightly to treble side of endpin
Arching: high and full
Purfling: double; inner strip extends partially under fingerboard
Varnish: medium red-brown with craquelure
Fingerboard: ebony (later)
Tailpiece: ebony, tulip-shaped; cast gold lyre set onto face (later)
Tailgut: black plastic
Saddle: ebony (later)
Endpin: dark brown-stained boxwood with three grooves on face (later)
Linings: willow or poplar (later)
Corner blocks: spruce (later)
Top block: willow or poplar (later)
Bottom block: spruce (later)
Bassbar: later
Other: saw marks visible on outside of ribs; internal arching of the back set in from edges
Soundholes
F-holes: long; narrow, steeply-pointed wings; notch corners rounded; steeply undercut; inside edges stained black
Sideviews of Pegbox and Scroll
Head: maple (plain); gouge marks on volutes
Pegs: four rosewood (later)
Nut: ebony (later)
Neck Heel
Neck: maple, narrow curl; second grafted neck
Measurements
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Total violin length: 584 mm
Stop length: 183 mm
Vibrating string length: 317 mm
Neck length (bottom of nut to ribs): 133.7 mm (current)
Top length: 350 mm
Top upper bout width: 161.3 mm
Top center bout width: 107.3 mm
Top lower bout width: 203 mm
Back length: 353 mm
Back upper bout width: 161.0 mm
Back center bout width: 107.4 mm
Back lower bout width: 203 mm
Upper rib height: 27.9-29.2 mm
Center rib height: 28.5-29.1 mm
Lower rib height: 28.0-29.0 mm
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and Plucked Stringed Instruments Made in Cremona, Italy
Checklist of Bowed
Stringed Instruments Made Before 1800
Checklist of 16th- and 17th-Century
Instruments
National Music Museum
The University of South Dakota
414 East Clark Street
Vermillion, SD 57069
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