This violoncello was made Antonio Stradivari in Cremona, Italy, in 1701. It is known as the “Servais” violoncello. It is made of a two-piece table of spruce with even medium fine grain broadening toward the flanks, two-piece back of maple with beautiful medium descending figure (with wings originally added to the upper and lower bouts), ribs of similar maple, modern maple neck terminating in the original pegbox and scroll of even medium figure, and golden reddish-orange varnish. There is an original printed label inside the instrument:
Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis Faciebat Anno 1701
[“01” is handwritten}
Antonio Stradivari is credited with the final development and refinement of the violin family, creating instruments that are viewed today as the standard of perfection. Although little is known of his life, we know from notes on his labels that he was born in 1644 and apprenticed to Nicolo Amati, the pre-eminent violin maker of Cremona, Italy. Stradivari was 57 years old when he built the Servais cello, using particularly beautiful wood he reserved for such large instruments. The varnish is unusually rich, a reddish-orange color with golden transparency. The overall purity, and especially the sound of this cello, are remarkable. For its importance in the development of the modern bowed string family, the Servais stands alone.
Adrien-François Servais (1807-1866) was a celebrated Belgian cellist famous for his powerful tone and acrobatic technique, combined with increased use of vibrato, which was at that time an innovation in performance. He was also one of the first cellists to use the modern end-pin. In addition to his frequent performance tours, he was on the Brussels Conservatory faculty during a period when Brussels was an influential musical center. This is the cello he used in his career, building an enormous public reputation.
This violoncello was made by Antonio Stradivari in Cremona, Italy, in 1688. It is the Marylebon violoncello made of a two-piece spruce top with a grain widening toward the edges, back of two-piece plain maple, sides and scroll of similar plain maple, and orange-brown varnish on a golden background. This instrument has been judiciously reduced in size, from the larger pattern of the maker's work of that period. With 20th century applied decoration imitating Stradivarius ornamentation.
There is a compilation of measurements of the Marylebon violoncello by Christer A. Berglund available from the collections files.
The Marylebon violoncello is part of The Herbert R. Axelrod Quartet of Decorated Instruments by Antonio Stradivari, consisting of the Ole Bull violin,1687; the Greffuhle violin, c.1700; the Axelrod viola, 1695; and the Marylebone violoncello, 1688.
This violoncello, was made in Schönbach, Germany, around 1880. It is made of a two-piece table of spruce, two-piece back of maple with fine, irregular horizontal figure, ribs of similar maple, neck, pegbox and scroll of plain maple with brass machine tuning mechanism, and an opaque orange-brown varnish.
On page 54 of the 1882 J. Howard Foote musical instrument catalog is the heading: “VIOLONCELLOS, or Bass Viols . . . German manufacture, with patent heads: No. 6013 Best quality very fine model, excellent in every respect, brass patent head ... $24.00 each.”
To give a sense of the Foote sales of bowed string instruments, there are 13 categories of cellos in grades from $10.80 to $55.00 each, while in the larger violin group, 74 grades are listed from $16.00 per dozen to $210.00 for a “Perfect copy of Stradivarius.” Only four viola grades are described under the heading: “VIOLAS. Or Tenor Viols, also called Altos by the French,” from $4.80 to $15.00 each.
This practice violoncello was made by Dunn & Co. in England, 19th century. This instrument is made of a one-piece table of spruce, body carved from one piece of plain maple, plain maple neck, pegbox and scroll, and semi-transparent reddish-brown varnish. Accessioned with original custom case. The case is stamped:
DUNN & CO CALCUTTA
This is a nicely crafted practice instrument with a long boat-shaped body designed to have limited sound volume. The slender arched table bears painted purfling and delicately carved f-holes. The body and sides are fashioned of a single piece of maple. The fingerboard bears fifteen flush inlaid “frets” to indicate finger locations. The instrument is accompanied by a rosewood end-pin and a carefully fitted mahogany case with brass hardware
This violoncello was made by Joannes Baptista Tononi in Bologna, Italy, in 1740. It is a baroque violoncello made of a two-piece table of spruce, two-piece back of maple cut at 45o with even, medium-fine descending figure, ribs of similar maple, original fine figured maple neck, pegbox and scroll. This instrument has an original printed label:
Joannes Baptiƒta De Tononis fecie Bononiæ 1740
This is the only instrument known to us labeled J.B. Tononi. No biographical evidence has emerged linking him to other members of the famous Tononi violin making family in Bologna. This instrument can be most closely linked to the latter output of Joannes Tononi, who died around 1705.
The instrument was left untouched until recovered in the late 1960s from a Parisian family that had stored it as a stage prop in their private theater. It is rich in original features, retaining the neck and pegs in unaltered condition. The obvious twisting in the neck and pegbox was caused by the maker’s difficulty in setting the neck height, length and direction. X-ray examination has shown an original wedge placed under the neck-foot to tilt the neck toward the treble side of the table. The bassbar is modern. The body and varnish are in an excellent state of preservation.
Location
Currently not on view (bridge; ivory nute; pegs; saddle; soundpost; tailpiece)
This violoncello was made by an unknown maker in Mirecourt, France, around 1875-1899. It is made of a two-piece table of spruce, two-piece back of maple with irregular, fine horizontal figure, ribs of plain maple; neck, pegbox and scroll of plain maple, stained reddish-brown varnish.
This is a typical unsigned Mirecourt commercial instrument bearing two scribed lines in representation of purfling on table and back.
This violoncello case made of wood, with brass fittings, and green plush interior was custom-made for the Stradivari "Servais" violoncello (Cat. #1981.0289.01).
This violoncello was made by made by George Jewett in Lebanon, Maine, between 1794-1795. It is a folk cello made of a two-piece table of slab-cut white pine, two-piece back of similar pine with paper glued along the center joint, ribs of laminated paper inlaid into the table and back; plain maple neck, pegbox and carved painted female head, and a forged 3-prong iron end-pin. This instrument has a carved inscription on the tailpiece:
J Jewett Fecit
(and an additional carved inscription within the “heart”
ornament of the tailpiece):
PAMELE 1794
(and a further ink inscription on the tailpiece back):
George Jewett AD 1795
An example of 18th-century folk craft, this cello was a labor of love. It was constructed of local materials and bears a charming naive carved and painted female head. The belly and back are made from white pine, the ribs are of laminated paper. The charming carved and painted head replaces the more usual scroll.
This violoncello was made by Sergio Peresson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1971. There is an original label inside the instrument:
Philadelphia 1971 Sergio Peresson
(and stamped):
S.PERESSON
Sergio Peresson (1913–1991) was an Italian-American violin maker. Born in Udine, Peresson began making violins in Italy in 1943. Four years later, Peresson moved to Caracas, Venezuela, where he made new instruments and was repairer to the Venezuelan Symphony Orchestra. In the early 1960s he moved to Philadelphia and worked for the firm of William Moennig & Son from 1963-1971. In 1971 Peresson moved to the suburb of Haddenfield, New Jersey and continued to make instruments until his death in 1991.
This violoncello was made by Charles and Samuel Thompson in London, about 1780. It is a ¼ size violoncello, made of a table of pine slab cut on the bass side, joined to quarter-cut pine on the treble. The interior has square linings and ribs finished with a toothed plane. The lower bout ribs are joined at the bottom block with notches at the top and bottom of the joint for centering of the model . There is an original printed label inside the instrument:
CHA: & SAM THOMPSON, in St. Paul’s Church Yard L O N D O N
The brothers Charles and Samuel Thompson were the successors of their father, Robert, who worked in St. Paul’s Church Yard around 1740-1769. The brothers continued the business (ca. 1770-1790), making and selling instruments of commercial quality made from common wood, with painted ink purfling and dark reddish-brown opaque varnish.
This case was made ny an unknown maker, provenance unknown, 20th century. It is a violoncello case made of wood covered in black-dyed leather, with metal fittings, and a blue plush interior. Accessioned with violioncello (Cat. #1979.0172.03)
This violoncello was made by Nicolò Amati in Cremona, Italy, 1677. It is the Herbert violoncello with a two-piece spruce top of medium to wide grained with wings to the flanks, two-piece back of quarter sawn poplar, ribs of maple cut on the slab, and scroll (probably by a later hand) of maple cut on the quarter. The golden-brown is applied over a golden ground. There is an original printed label inside the instrument:
Nicolaus Amatus Cremonen. Hieronymi Fil. ac Antonij Nepos Fecit. 1677
[“77” is handwritten]
Beginning in the late 19th century, this violoncello was owned for some fifty years by Mr. George Herbert, an amateur musician of London, and today bears his name to help trace its history. It was acquired by the violin dealer Emil Herrmann who assembled a quartet of Amati instruments (the 1656 King Louis XIV and the 1672 Florian Zajic violins, the 1663 Professor Wirth viola, and the 1677 Herbert violoncello) for Mrs. Anna E. Clark. She lent them to the Loewenguth Quartet of Brussels before bequeathing the quartet to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington DC. The Corcoran loaned the quartet to the Claremont String Quartet of the North Carolina School of the Arts, and in 1975, to the Tokyo String Quartet, and then to the Takács Quartet before selling them to Dr. Herbert Axelrod in 1998.
This case was made by an unknown maker, undetermined provenance, 19th century. It is a cello case made of. black-stained wood, brass fittings, and green plush interior. Accessioned with cello (Cat. #1987.0472.05).
This violoncello was made by Jean Baptiste Vuillaume in Paris, France, in 1862. It is cello, Vuillaume #2425, with a one-piece table of spruce with medium grain, one-piece back of half slab cut maple with irregular grain and irregular flame descending from treble to bass, ribs are of similar wood, and the head is of maple with regular grain, and golden brown varnish over a golden ground. There is an original label inside the instrument:
Jean Baptiste Vuillaume a Paris 3, rue Demours-Ternes
The French violin maker and dealer Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume (1798-1875) dominated the violin trade in the middle of the 19th century. Born in Mirecourt, a small town in the Vosges famous for its production of lace and violins, he established his workshops in Paris where his marketing genius flourished. In the traditions of the Amatis, Vuillaume was an innovator, making major contributions in bowmaking, mass-marketing, and dealing in old instruments. In addition to his Octobasse, a giant double bass, he created a specially shaped contralto viola, an automatic violin mute, and machines and clever gadgets to apply to his work. He gained great skills in imitating fine old Italian violins, and as he engaged a large number of assistants, his new instruments could be offered through volume sales. As the Vuillaume imitations became more accurate and impressive, he became the leading shop in Paris, and the first violin shop in Europe to be conducting business in every country.
His instruments are true copies rather than fakes, and all bear Vuillaume's own label. This is remarkable in that there were over 2000 of the best quality instruments, all supervised and varnished by Jean-Baptiste himself.
Vuillaume's influence on violin and bow makers was felt all across France. His astute business sense in appealing to a new democratic marketplace of both exclusive buyers and mass consumers is felt in the violin trade today. J.B. Vuillaume's mastery of the Cremonese traditions, combined with sustaining the mystique of the violin, guaranteed the production of immensely successful instruments and his legendary reputation as a dealer in fine old instruments.
This violoncello was made by John Preston in London, about 1780. It is made of a two-piece table of spruce, two piece back of maple with even fine descending figure, ribs of similar maple, neck, pegbox and scroll of late replacement, and varnish of transparent brown color. There is a printed label inside the instrument:
Preston MAKER No 97 Strand L O N D O N
John Preston began working in London around 1744 in Long Acre as a maker of violins and guitars. After 1776 he was established at the Strand, where he remained until his death in January of 1798. In 1789, his son Thomas entered the business and developed the firm as music publishers as well as violin makers and dealers. Preston and Son published music of many types including dance, operetta and popular song. In 1834 the firm passed to control of Coventry & Hollier and continue today under the name Novello & Company. It was probably the publishing interest that prevented John Preston from developing a strong reputation and output as a maker. His instruments might be considered today as good to fair in commercial quality. In this example with typically pointed arching and high ribs,1 the neck, pegbox and scroll are a later Bohemian or German replacement. The body bears an even single purfling.
This object was created as an outdoor business sign of zinc-coated sheet-iron, painted gold, with black paint used to depict fittings, soundholes, and the back.