Kit
1647 (Made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Kits were small, narrow versions of violins, often played by dancing masters before demonstrating a particular step. One recorded virtuoso of this instrument was Francis Pemberton who flourished in England in the 1760s and was "able to play solos on [the kit], exhibiting all the graces and elegancies of the violin". Jacques du Mesnil was based in Paris and made a number of string instruments, including a violin and a mandore, which date from the 1640s to the 1660s.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Carved and planed ebony body, planed pine belly. |
| Brief description | Ebony body, French, Jacques du Mesnil, 1647 |
| Physical description | "Narrow model. Ebony body shaped to five faces. Belly similar to that of preceding instrument [i.e. Kit by Dimanche Drouyn, Museum no 519-1872: '... with a heart-shaped soundhole and two inwards-facing C-holes ..' - Baines, Catalogue ... II, p. 20]. Ebony fingerboard and pegbox with a carved head of a woman.' - Anthony Baines:Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments (London, 1998), p. 21. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | Du Mesnil/ a Paris 1647 (Written on the label inside the instrument.)
|
| Summary | Kits were small, narrow versions of violins, often played by dancing masters before demonstrating a particular step. One recorded virtuoso of this instrument was Francis Pemberton who flourished in England in the 1760s and was "able to play solos on [the kit], exhibiting all the graces and elegancies of the violin". Jacques du Mesnil was based in Paris and made a number of string instruments, including a violin and a mandore, which date from the 1640s to the 1660s. |
| Bibliographic reference | Anthony Baines: Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments. (London, 1998), p. 21 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.2-1937 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSON
