Philomele

Philomele. a form of wire-strung violin with a flat back. Guitar-shape with a double curve at shoulders. Flat two-piece front, fine-grained, with unusual and elaborate flame soundholes edged with delicate chequered purfling and lines. Similar purfling on front and back, and on top and bottom edges of ribs. Flat two-piece back and ribs all of ?kingwood. Strings were attached to hitchpins on bridge originally (holes plugged). Brass wire insert in top of ebony bridge. Three-legged bridge tongued and grooved onto end of fingerboard and glued to front. Ebony fingerboard with star/flower piercing at lower end. Neck and pegbox in flamed maple with lion head as finial; four machine tuners with bone pegheads.