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Description: | This instrument was played by members of the Hills family in the band at St. Lawrence's Church, Caterham, Surrey. It was subsequently exhibited in nearby St Mary's Church, built in the 1860s after St. Lawrence's was abandoned as being too small for the population. The instrument was described on the exhibition board there as a 'bass viol', a common name for the copper or tin violoncellos played in churches (MacDermott), also known as 'church basses'.
MacDermott, K.H. 'The Old Church Gallery Minstrels' (London: 1948) describes a violoncello used in a church band made of sheet iron in the Devizes Museum, and copper violoncellos in other church bands (p.27).
Tin violoncello lacquered a dark brown colour. The table is made from three pieces of tin either welded or soldered together. The wooden neck, scroll and pegs are crudely made. The neck is bolted to the body with a heavy metal screw. The three strings are of twisted gut and possibly also from twisted cord. The bridge is wooden. | Publisher: | http://www.horniman.ac.uk/ | Subjects: | violoncellos | Source: | Horniman Museum | Identifier: | oai:oai.horniman.ac.uk:object-114474 |
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