Viola

Late 17th-century Milanese viola (?violetta) with festoon outline; pegbox probably from a viol. Perhaps five-stringed originally. Front of fine to medium grain; f-shaped soundholes; front and back highly arched with long flat area and moderate depression. Single purfling, front and back. Back one-piece, slab-cut, the transverse arching asymmetrical. Varnish golden-brown. Later neck jointed into a step cut in the heel of older neck; dart-shaped scarf-joint approximately half-way along later neck into older neck and pegbox. The finial is a grotesque head enclosed between volutes and the back of the pegbox has foliate carving. The pegbox, originally for six pegs, has had two pegholes plugged and has been narrowed for four strings.