Trade Secrets: Brescian-style purfling, part 2: decorative patterns on the back

Brescian instruments are often decorated with elaborate purfling designs on the back, probably a feature carried over from the ornate viols that would still have been in use when these instruments were made. Making the purfling with three separate strips – ebony for the black and boxwood for the white – enables the modern maker to reproduce these patterns in the spirit of the original. There may be mismatched joints and a lack of symmetry, but the lines always flow, giving a result that is full of vigour and freshness. This article should be read in conjunction with my earlier article (June 2010), which describes the procedure for preparing the purfling strips and making the mitre joints.

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