Scan 234
Catalogue of the Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments, 1918
27 lines. Read by computer on 29 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
11313. VIOLONCELLO. Eighteenth century ………………… England
2Deep model. 'Cello stringing—C-G-d-a. Of the four strings the two lower are wound. The same tuning is found on the Bass Viola da braccio. Length, 100 cm. Width, 33 cm. Depth, 14 cm.
3Signed—"Fred. Hintz, Fecit, London, 1763."
51314. KNIEGEIGE (Ital. Viola da gamba) ……………….. Germany
6The viola da gamba has the flat back of the viol family. It carries six strings, four of gut and two of overspun silk. A rest of black wood is inserted in the base of the instrument.
7Length, 135 cm. Width, 37 cm. Depth, 15 cm.
91315. VIOLONCELLO. Late eighteenth century …………… Germany
10In every respect a worthy example of its type.
11Length, 135 cm. Width, 49 cm. Depth, 17 cm.
12Signed—"Andreas Kembler, Lauten und Geigenmacher in Dillingen, 1772."
141316. BASS FIDDLE, or Violoncello ………… Probably of Asiatic origin
15Body of a long, narrow gourd. The head resembles the type found on Chinese and Japanese guitars. The neck, finger-board and peg-box are of the European type. It carries four strings arranged in the usual manner. The bridge is distinctly Oriental.
16Length, 153.1 cm.; of body, 62.9 cm. Diameter, 17 to 10.3 cm.
181317. HALBBASS (Eng. Half-bass; Ital. Basso di camera) …. Germany
19Viol-shaped body. Four strings tuned by a screw mechanism. Tuning—C-G-d-a. This instrument was carried by a strap over the neck of the performer and was used in out-of-doors processions. Suggestions of the convivial environment in which its note was also heard are conveyed by its popular designation—Bierbass—although this term was given it on account of its weak and characterless tone-quality.
20Length, 136.8 cm. Width, 44.2 cm. Depth, 20 cm.
221318. RABECAO (Port. for Eng. Double Bass; Fr. Contrebasse; Ital. Contra-basso, Violone grosso; Ger. Kontrabass). Typical model ……………………………………… Funchal, Madeira
23Body of noguera wood. Three strings, tuned by cogwheels with thumb-pieces at the back. The tuning is the Italian—G-d-a, the tones sounding an octave lower than the notation. Modern instruments have four strings (E-A-d-g). Many older players prefer the three-stringed type on account of its (to them) greater sonority.
24Length, 191 cm. Width, 66.5 cm. Depth, 25 cm.
26At the side of No. 1318 a violin case of the seventeenth century, carved from two pieces of wood, is displayed. Its length is, 80.3 cm.; width, 23.7 cm. and depth, 14 cm.
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