Viola d'amore, possibly by Johannes Schorn of Salzburg. Repair label: Chickering & Co. June 1907. The back is of maple and is flat and angled to the shoulder. It is two-piece, of faint irregular medium curl. The ribs and pegbox are also maple, the pegbox surmounted by a carved blindfold cupid's head. There is pronounced arching on upper section of the belly.There are traces of gold on the rosette in the belly and on the head. The body, neck, pegbox and pegs are probably original. The 12 strings are divided into 6 playing strings which pass above the fingerboard and are attached to the tailpiece, and 6 wire sympathetic strings attached to a pin bridge, which is glued to the belly. The highly arched pine belly, of medium even grain, is pierced by flame shaped soundholes and a circular rose under the fingerboard into which is set a floral design. The varnish is brown. The barring and soundpost plate on the back are in accordance with the normal set-up. Length of back 14 1/8 inches.
