An In-Depth Discussion penned by Mackenzie Miller
Several years ago, I was in the market for a new violin and I found myself turning to a violin blog for thoughts and resources. At this point in my journey, I was leaning towards a modern instrument and was showcasing photos of my prospective new buy. One of the bloggers commented to warn me about the irregular purfling on the violin, and how this was a sign to be wary of the maker’s skill.
Fast forward twelve years, I am grateful that I did not take the advice from that blogger, and ended up not only with an amazing violin…but also an amazing violin-maker husband!
But back to the point - why did that blogger warn me about irregular purfling? What is purfling anyway? What’s it made of? Why does it matter? And how is it a reflection of a maker’s ability?
Purfling is the decorative feature that outlines the top and back plates of stringed instruments. It is commonly made of three (sometimes more) thin pieces of wood that are usually glued together and is then inlaid into the instrument’s top and back plates. It can also be painted or scribed onto the instrument.
Purfling is often made from dyed Pear wood (black), and poplar (white). The white strip can also be made from Maple, Beach, Walnut and the black strips can be from Ebony (among other materials).
In addition to its artistic flare, purfling does have a purpose. It adds a layer of protection to the plates as the edges tend to be common areas of unintentional impact. If a crack were to start from the edge, the inlaid purfling helps to prevent it from going any further into the plate.
As previously mentioned, purfling is decorative…and is therefore an opportunity for luthiers to show off their style and technique. Often, luthiers will choose to model their instrument after a historic maker and the purfling will reflect this. An obvious example would be the decorative purfling of the early Brescian instruments (see photo above). It can also be more subtle, as there are many unique approaches to purfling.
To elaborate, each aspect of purfling can be carefully reviewed - how was the channel cut? How were the corners of the C-bouts approached? What type of wood was used? What was the temperament of the maker?
All of these characteristics again showcase the artistic element. These can include a, sometimes, deliberate choice to make the purfling with a flawless, intentional, “perfect” quality. They can also be a fortuitous approach that may result in wobbles and irregularities.
The purfling is a part of the story and character of historic stringed instruments. And in my opinion, after learning and studying this specific aspect of string instruments, it is particularly appealing to understand the different approaches to purfling, whether aiming for perfection or aiming for artistic wobbles. In both scenarios, it showcases the maker’s craft while respecting the instrument’s history and art.
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