Violin by Friedrich Wilhelm Meisel, Quittenbach, Saxony, 1772
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NMM 6053. Violin by Friedrich Wilhelm Meisel (1749-1814), Quittenbach, Saxony, 1772. Gift of Kurt Lothar and Patricia A. Meisel, Owatonna, Minnesota, 1997.
Soundholes
Technical Information
Inscriptions:
- Printed on paper label, the last digit of year written in black ink: Friedrich Wilhelm Meiſel, / musſicaliſcher Inſtrumentenmacher / in Quittenbach Ao. 1772.
- Branded on bridge toward fingerboard: K.L.MEISEL
Top: two-piece, quarter-cut spruce: medium grain; small dowel hole through top into top block on bass side of center joint; rectangular spruce cleats along inside of center joint.
Back: two-piece, quarter-cut maple: prominent, broad curl descending from center joint; rectangular maple cleats along inside of center joint; later ebony crown over top edge of back button.
Ribs: quarter-cut maple: prominent, broad curl, angled to right on upper bass and lower treble bouts, angled to left on lower bass and upper treble bouts, not angled at center bouts.
Head: maple: narrow curl; inside of pegbox stained black at a later date.
Neck: medium curl; grafted.
Arching: full.
Edging: large, broad corners.
Varnish: light golden orange.
Fingerboard: ebony; later.
Nut: ebony; later.
Tailpiece: ebony; decoratively molded upper edge without saddle; decorative grooves carved on face at lower end; copper lyre inlaid in face; later.
Tailgut: black plastic.
Pegs: four rosewood with ebony pins; convex, undercut heads; by Emil Lorenz, Bubenreuth, originally from Schönbach.
Saddle: ebony; extends slightly into ribs.
Endpin: rosewood with two decorative, turned grooves.
F-holes: curved and tapered wings.
Linings: spruce; narrow.
Corner blocks: spruce; later.
Top block: spruce; later.
Bottom block: spruce; small; very narrow.
Bassbar: later.
Other: saw marks visible on inside of ribs.
Pegbox and Scroll
Measurements
Back length: 358 mm
Upper bout width: 163 mm
Center bout width: 110 mm
Lower bout width: 205 mm
Upper rib height: 30-31 mm
Center rib height: 31-32 mm
Lower rib height: 31-32 mm
Total violin length: 589 mm
Stop length: 192 mm
Vibrating string length: 326 mm
Neck length (bottom of nut to ribs): 134 mm
Lit.: Julie Kucaj, "Lothar Meisel," Arts & Minds., Bravo! News Style Arts Channel, Toronto, January 30-31, 2003.
K. Lothar Meisel with Betty Vos, The Meisel Family Violin Makers: Klingenthal, Vogtland, Saxony (Ely, Minnesota: Singing River Publications, Inc., 2007), pp. 68-71.
The NMM preserves violins from each of eight generations of the
Meisel family.
National Music Museum
The University of South Dakota
414 East Clark Street
Vermillion, SD 57069
©National Music Museum, 2009-2016
Most recent update:
May 14, 2016
The University of South Dakota
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