Calhoun Folk Fiddle
date: label: date made
content: 1896
name: label: maker
content: Calhoun, A. B.
notes: label: Description
content: This violin was made by A.B. Calhoun in New England in 1896. Makers of folk instruments typically incorporate unusual materials, design or construction methods in building inexpensive but clever hybrid models of familiar, commercially marketed musical instruments. This cigar-box shaped fiddle has enlarged top and bottom blocks that also form the entire upper and lower ribs. The outline is completed by two straight side ribs nailed to these blocks. The table and back are also nailed to the end blocks, but glued along the length of the side ribs. The neck is attached by two screws.
label: Description
content: Accompanied by a bow painted black and a fitted case painted in imitation of bird's-eye maple, the fiddle shows signs of much use in the grooved wear marks on the fingerboard. The instrument was acquired by the donor in the New England area of the United States, but there is no known written reference to the name A. B. Calhoun.
label: Description
content: This violin is made of yellow pine, with neck, pegbox and pegs of hickory stained reddish brown, with the pegs, pegbox and fingerboard painted black.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: Place Made
content: United States: New England
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
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Beatrice A. and Jacques Francais
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1991.0706.01
label: accession number
content: 1991.0706
label: catalog number
content: 1991.0706.01
objectType: label: Object Name
content: fiddle
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: pine (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 23 1/4 in x 6 7/16 in x 3 1/4 in; 59.055 cm x 16.35125 cm x 8.255 cm