Hopf Violin
date: label: Date made
content: 1878 - 1882
notes: label: Description
content: <p>This violin was made in Klingenthal, Germany around 1880. This commercial violin bears a square arching and outline typically seen in Klingenthal trade instruments of the late 19th century branded “HOPF.” J. Howard Foote, in his 1882 catalog indicates: “Hopf violins are well known by their peculiar shape and color. But few Violins sold as “Hopf” are genuine. Nos. (catalog numbers) 5871-73 are made by the successor of the original “Hopf” both in name and vocation.” This instrument, Foote catalog #5872, is described as “Genuine ‘Hopf,’ extra quality, ebony trimmings and fingerboard, ‘Stainer’ model...$80.00 per dozen.”</p>
label: Description
content: <p>Caspar Hopf is thought to have founded the Klingenthal tradition of violin making in the late 17th century. From these beginnings until this century, 24 makers bearing the Hopf family name worked in Saxony, primarily in Klingenthal. The family is generally known for their extensive production of inexpensive and commercial instruments for the trade. This violin is made of a two-piece table of spruce, back of maple with irregular fine figure, ribs of medium-fine figure, neck, pegbox and scroll of medium-fine figured maple, and a deep reddish-purple varnish.</p>
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: Place Made
content: Germany: Saxony, Klingenthal
setName: label: See more items in
content: Culture and the Arts: Musical Instruments
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content: Music & Musical Instruments
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content: Violins
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: Densmore, Frances. Handbook of the Collection of Musical Instruments in the United States National Museum.
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of J. Howard Foote
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: MI.055677
label: catalog number
content: 55677
label: accession number
content: 11535
objectType: label: Object Name
content: violin
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: ebony (tail piece; finger board; tuning pegs material)
label: Physical Description
content: spruce (table material)
label: Physical Description
content: maple (back material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 35.2 cm x 20.1 cm; 13 7/8 in x 7 15/16 in