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Photograph by Addison Doty. Copyright 2014 School for Advanced Research.

Apache fiddle (violin) and bow

Photograph by Addison Doty. Copyright 2014 School for Advanced Research.

Apache fiddle (violin) and bow

Date: 2014
Artist or Maker: Anthony Belvado (b. 1956)
Dimensions:
Fiddle: 92.2 × 30 × 24.2 cm (36 5/16 × 11 13/16 × 9 1/2 in.)
Bow: 63 × 12.3 × 3 cm (24 13/16 × 4 13/16 × 1 3/16 in.)
Medium: agave | wood, mesquite | varnish | wax, crayon | nylon | wood, acacia | horsehair | pitch, piñon | leather, brain-tanned | fabric, cotton
Credit Line: Gift of the artist, 2015.
Object Number: SAR.2015-1-2AB
Not on view
DescriptionApache fiddle (part A) and bow (part B). All of the plant materials used were gathered at San Carlos Apache reservation.
A - Fiddle made from split and hollowed-out agave, with colorful geometric decorations done in crayon. A flying green hummingbird is drawn in crayon at the midpoint of the instrument’s neck. Geometric patterns and dots are burned into the surface of the fiddle. The surface of the fiddle is also varnished. The tuner, peg, and bridge are made of mesquite wood. The strings for the fiddle are transparent nylon guitar strings, each of a different thickness.
B - Bow made from bent acacia wood. The handle portion is decorated with brain-tanned white leather with small round cutouts. Black cotton fabric beneath the leather shows through the cutouts. Leather fringe extends approximately four inches past the end of the bow. The strings are made of black horsehair coated with piñon pitch.


The Indian Arts Research Center, in collaboration with Native American community scholars, strives to present accurate collections records. Records may be updated as new information becomes available and is reviewed with the Native American community having cultural affinity to particular items. Please write to iarc@sarsf.org if you have questions or concerns related to the documentation.