Images(4)

Violin case

Date1764-1769

Labeled by James Simpson

OriginEngland, London

MediumDeal, leather, brass, cotton, wool, paper, iron/steel

DimensionsH: 4 3/4 in; L: 30 3/4 in; D: 9 1/2 in (12.3cm x 78.5cm x 24.5 cm)

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1988-18,1

DescriptionRectangular leather-covered case with brass handle on domed top of case. Leather covers all sides except bottom and is tooled in a chain and flower design. Bail handle is secured to top with 2 metal plates and has 2 handle rests made of 4 brass dome-headed upholstery nails in a diamond design. Leather is glued to case and secured at the edges by means of closely spaced brass upholstery nails except at curved top of case sides and at bottom of case sides where the leather is secured by only one tack. Back of the case top is tacked at corners only; there is evidence of more tacking at one time in this area. Front of case has brass lock (missing) and lockplate, and brass hooks and eyes (right hook missing). Bottom of case has remnants of paper covering. Case top and bottom are hinged with strap hinges at each end. The bottom of the case was covered with two pages from Ovid's METAMORPHOSES, book 14, pp. 502-503 (possibly published in London, 1717). (1988-18, 2a-c)

Case is lined with green curled wool (baize) on inside of top and in instrument cavity. All other surfaces covered with blue, white, and red marbled paper. Interior bottom has two small, semi-circular covered compartments at sides of violin cavity and one large rectangular covered compartment at left of interior bottom. All compartment tops lift with woven red and white cotton tape. The same tape also connects case top to bottom (tape now broken). The label (H: 7 1/2 in; L: 4 3/4 in) is glued to the top of the large rectangular compartment and depicts a bass viol and flute within a rococo cartouche, with small pictures of an organ keyboard and pipes and of some sheet music, which surmounts an explanatory paragraph within an explanatory border. Interior case top has two sets of leather (probable in-use replacement) bow holders.Label TextJames Simpson, the maker of the violin (1982-210) and retailer of the case (1988-18,1), sold musical instruments, instruction books, sheet music, and other musical necessities. The son of a music publisher and instrument maker, he was one of a large number of instrument makers and retailers who flourished in London during the last half of the eighteenth century.

The rectangular leather-covered case has a handle on the top and is lined in baize (a type of wool cloth) and marbled paper. The ornate label functioned as an advertisement as well as a maker's identification, informing the public of the variety of goods sold at Simpson's shop.Mark(s)Printed label on top of interior covered compartment: "J. Simpson/ Musical Instrument Maker,/at ye Bass Viol & Flute in Sweetings Alley near the/ East Door of ye Royal Exchange LONDON./Son of the Late John Simpson,/ Sells all sorts of Musical Instruments, Viz. Bass Violins, Bass VIols, Violins, German Flutes, Hautboys, French/ Horns, Trumpets, Harpischords, Spinnets, &c. Also Variety of/ the Newest Concertos, Sonatas, Solos, for all Instruments now/ in Use; with Books of Instructions, Ruld Books, Paper tongs./ Reeds, Wire for Harpsichords and best Roman Strings,/ Wholesale and Retail./ N.B. Money for [Old Instruments & Music] Books."ProvenanceColonial Williamsburg purchased from Wurlitzer-Bruck in 1988