Trapezoidal violin

This is a trapezoidal violin, known to have been played on the streets of Aberdeen by an itinerant musician. The instrument’s body and fingerboard are made of mahogany, and the instrument’s neck is of a stained hardwood. The bass side of the instrument has a hole in the rib near the bottom of the F hole which is plugged with a cork. The purpose of this, if any, is not clear. The fiddle’s tailpiece and tuning pegs are of ebony, and the tuning pegs feature an engraved mother-of-pearl flower design. The construction of the fiddle is rustic, but the instrument is well made. This violin is similar in shape to instruments made by the French maker Savart in the 1820s. However, it is not clear if this instrument was based on his designs, as Savart’s instruments are considerably wider at the lower bout. It is known that plans for similar violins aimed at amateur instrument builders were published well into the 20th century.