Violin by Leopold Widhalm
Nürnberg, ca 1780
Catalog 26. Violin – Martin Leopold Widhalm, Nürnberg, um 1760
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Leopold Widhalm (1722-1776) was a native of Vienna, but settled in 1745 Nürnberg, where he remained the rest of his life. This violin is particularly good condition, retaining most of its red varnish, quite rare for these violins.
The University of Hamburg has carried out dendrochronological studies (see materials in the exhibition) on the wood of this violin. Dendrochronology is the science of determining the date of the annular rings in pine or spruce, serving to establish when the tree was felled. Dr. Peter Klein and Dr. Micha Beuting have established that the rings on the top of this violin run from 1489 until 1658, indicating that the tree was felled in or about 1659. The violin was therefore built shortly thereafter.
Dendrochronological analysis
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Bericht über die dendrochronologische Untersuchung einer
Violindecke von Widhalm, Leopold (?), Privatbesitz Prof. Vázquez Bei der zweiteiligen Decke wurden auf der Diskantseite 72 Jahrringe und auf der Bassseite 69 Jahrringe gemessen. Eine Datierung ist zur Zeit nicht möglich. Beide Seiten der Decke stammen aus demselben Baum. i. A. Micha Beuting Dr. Peter Klein |
Report on the dendrochronological analysis of a
violin top by Widhalm, Leopold (?), Private property of Prof. Vázquez On the two-part front were measured 72 annular-rings on the treble side, 69 rings on the bass side . A dating is not possible at this point. Both sides came from the same tree.
Micha Beuting, on behalf of Prof. Dr. Peter Klein |
Dendrochronology explained, with the complete findings!
| Body length | 347 mm |
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Upper width
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167 mm |
| Middle width | 108 mm |
| Lower width | 205 mm |
| Rib height | 33 mm |
| String length | 326 mm |