6/6 Viola d’amore by Joseph Albanus

This instrument is currently in the Edinburgh University Instrument Collection.

Made in Bolzano, Tyrol by Joseph Albanus, probably in the early 18th Century although date is missing on the label.

This 6/6 Viola d’amore has tightly flamed Maple back and ribs, 2-piece spruce soundboard and a maple neck with carved Lions head. It has a beautifully striking ivory edging all around the body and neck edges which is made up of two thin pieces of bent ivory.

A ‘shield’ of Birds-eye Maple has been inserted into the heel area of the back of this VdA, raising questions about the originality of the neck, as some alteration work may have been carried out around the heel area.

The fingerboard is not original- it is a lengthened and more tightly curved version added later (which covers up a hole where the Rosette used to be) and I believe that the tailpiece is also quite likely a later addition, along with the saddle and end pin, both of which are very large!