Object Details
- Castor, John
- Description
- This fiddle was made by John Castor of Piney Woods, Mississippi in 1850. This folk violin from traditional violin shape has “filled” center bouts, creating a “guitar-type” outline. The instrument bears a strengthening bar inside the body extending from bottom to top block. This fiddle is made of a one-piece table of pine, one-piece back of irregularly figured maple, ribs of similar maple, maple (?) neck, pegbox and plain “handle” in hammer shape. The back of the fiddle bears a label that reads: “Made by John Castor, “Piney Woods” near / Woodville, Miss. in 1850. He was left / handed, and the best jig fiddler in / the whole country. Castor heard Charles / Wyn(er) (?) (a pupil of de Beriot) play and / out of gratitude gave him this violin. / Wyn(er) (?) gave it to William Feltus, he to / Thomas M. Wetherill, my brother, and / my brother to me, Mayer Wetherill / in 1857.”
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Credit Line
- Gift of Louis Krasner
- 1850
- ID Number
- MI.69.14
- accession number
- 282344
- catalog number
- 69.14
- Object Name
- fiddle
- Physical Description
- pine (table material)
- maple (back material)
- Measurements
- overall: 23 7/8 in x 8 1/8 in x 4 in; 60.6425 cm x 20.6375 cm x 10.16 cm
- Place Made
- United States: Mississippi, Piney Woods
- See more items in
- Culture and the Arts: Musical Instruments
- Music & Musical Instruments
- Violins
- National Museum of American History
- Record ID
- nmah_605623
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a4-38a9-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
