Violino piccolo

back: 2 pieces of maple; lh faint medium flame, rh more marked, going straight across; in midline at each end at the purfling is a half-pin of boxwood; corners long and squared at ends; edges elegantly rounded, extending 2mm beyond the ribs; purfling: single, not carried to ends of corners; back arched in a continuous curve from front to back, moderate height (9mm), gracefully recovered with a slightly raised edge; varnish: was light mid-brown with touch of rose, over gold; now mostly a gentle golden brown. Belly: 2 pieces of pine; lh medium width grain, rh very fine in the middle, a little wider on rh; moderately arched, flat at top, subtly raised 10mm and recovered at edge, which is slightly raised and rounded; soundholes: rounded in Amatese style, rh very slightly longer than lh, cut upright and inset some way from edge. Ribs: broader flame than back, slanting down slightly left to right all round, and not set contrary in the waist; a double black line at the joint at the end-button. Endpin ?original. Head: maple, small fine figure, spliced onto neck. Pegbox: not immaculately finished inside, but edges elegantly bevelled and rounded; 4 gold-mounted ebony pegs; centre ridge of fluting goes right down to the end with only a very small lip. Scroll: Amatese in style, with ends of the bosses rounded and volutes bevelled all round. Length 545; back 328, width 150/101/187; ribs 27