Bass viol

Bass viol converted to cello. Two-piece front of fine to medium grain widening towards edges; C-shaped soundholes very near the edges of middle bouts; moderate arching; fine double purfling; ornament, above bridge, of heart with twining foliage in purfling filled in with burnt crosshatching (point d’aiguille) (one segment incomplete; hatched only in one direction). Back in three pieces of maple with figure of strong curl; outer strips book-matched. The joints run along the centre of strips carved in shallow relief, 11mm wide, of running leaf and trefoil flower ornament. Another patch of carving in low relief at button. Outside line of purfling runs around outside edge of back; inner line separates the back into panels and in the centre portion breaks into a knot decoration of three chequered diaper areas linked by simpler interlacings.