Violin

item details

NameViolin

ProductionJames Williamson; craftsman; 1941; Wellington

Classificationviolins, musical instruments, stringed instruments

Materialskauri (wood), tōtara (wood), ebony, steel, paper

Materials Summaryviolin made from native and other timbers

Techniqueswoodworking

DimensionsOverall: 100mm (width), 600mm (height), 215mm (length)

Registration NumberGH009950

Credit linePurchased 2003

Overview

Shetland Islands-born James Williamson (1854-1942) made this violin from kauri and tōtara - native New Zealand timbers. It has a fern-like motif carved in the back of the scroll. Williamson used native timbers for many of his violins.

Woodworker
Williamson is said to have made his first violin on a voyage from Scotland to New Zealand in 1874, using wood given to him by the captain. In 1906, he began working for the Post and Telegraph Department in Wellington as a woodworker. While there, he was commissioned to make inlaid pieces for the New Zealand government, including the stand and case to hold the pen and seal with which Prime Minister William Massey signed the Treaty of Versailles after World War I.

International standing
Although he had no formal training in violin making, Williamson became an award-winning instrument maker of international standing. After his retirement in 1923 he dedicated much of his time to violin making. This example was finished shortly before his death in 1942.