Violoncello

Early 18th-century Brescian cello. Front two-piece, of wide to medium grain; f-shaped soundholes; both front and back moderately arched. Twopiece back of ?poplar with figure of narrow curl; there is a hole 460mm from tail, for attaching a neck-strap. Single purfling on front and back; on the back it is formed of black pigment in a pair of incised lines. Clear pale-gold varnish. The neck, of figured maple, is later and a piece of the button was damaged when this neck was fitted. Original pegbox and scroll of plainer maple; later rosewood pegs. There is an old repaired break where the scroll joins the pegbox; the cello currently lacks tailpiece, endpin and bridge.