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Published with permit from the Music Archive of Småland
Edvin Karlson (1896-1990) was a folk musician from Ramsås in Bergs socken in Småland who owned a fiddle with 8 sympathetic strings. Edvin studied at Grimslövs folkhögskola in his youth and worked at an office in Växjö for a few years. In the 1940s his parents was not able to run their farm and Edvin had to take over even though he might never have desired to be a farmer. Edvin was recorded by Magnus Gustafsson in the seventies and Edvin was also visited by other folk musicians. Olle Paulsson was there at least once and Magnus visited him twice. The first time, the sympathetic strings were in place even though Edvin didn't tune them so carefully and it is hard to draw any conclusions about how the double-deckers have been used out of Edvins playing style. At Magnus second visit, the understrings was even removed and Evin was using the instrument as a standard violin. He is however supposed to have said that he used the sympathetic strings a lot in his youth. It is not known where he got the fiddle from, if he bought it or got it from a relative. Unfortunately this violin has been lost since Edvin died in 1990.
The decorations on the bottom near zäpfchen (the part of the bottom closest to the scroll) are very similar to those on
Johan Georg Mohte
Johan Georg Mohte, 1690/1695-1765, was the first in a family of luthiers in Ängelholm, Skåne. The origin of the family is unknown but they might be from Germany or possibly France. The large variation of spelling of the name makes research harder, even the same individual could spell the name in different ways. Mohte, Mothe, Motte, Måtte, Mote and Moethe are variations that have been used. According to Bengt Nilssons Svensk fiolbyggarkonst Johannes Georg Mothe was born in Dresden in 1695 (or 1690) but Anne Nilsson (author of Fioler) is not sure whether he was born in Sweden or not. Mohte arrived to Ängelholm in 1723 and applied to live there. According to Nilsson and Nilsson Mohte aquired his professional skills in Russia where he was inprisoned for 14 years (I assume it was after the battle of Poltava 1709 after which many Swedes were captured and sent to Siberia). There are two centers for professional luthiers in Sweden during the 18th century, Stockholm and Skåne (Ängelholm) and the Mohte family is among the most influential in the later category. Mohte was probably inspired by Joachim Tielke in Hamburg and several of his instruments (viols) was similar to Tielkes. There is no evidence that Johan Georg ever was studying for Tielke but it is possible. Johan Georgs son Johan Jörgen was granted priviledges for luthier work in 1748 and he had a son called Önnert who practised violin building in the 19th century. Johan Georgs son in law, Jacob Hellman was also a luthier in Ängelholm. Two gambas, a violin from 1745 and at least two but probably four Double-deckers made by Johan Georg Mohte have been preserved but there are no known instruments by his son or grandson.
Published with permit from the Music Archive of Småland
Published with permit from the Music Archive of Småland
Published with permit from the Music Archive of Småland
Photo: Olle Paulsson
Photo: Olle Paulsson
Photo: Olle Paulsson
Photo: Olle Paulsson
Photo: Olle Paulsson
Photo: Olle Paulsson
| Name | Edvin |
| Type | Double-decker |
| Luthier | Johan Georg Mohte |
| Year | |
| Origin | Ängelholm, Skåne |
| Found in | Berg, Småland |
| Playing strings | 4 |
| Sympathetic strings | 8 |
| Other instruments with the same number of sympathetic strings | TuppenMunkenHjelmenKarlhamnsfiolenElvisBulanMohteGöteborgsfiolenSödlingNorbergsfiolenHammerMohte 2JamtlifiolenNils NilssonAngeredsfiolen |
| Other instrument with rose painting | TuppenMohteGöteborgsfiolenAngeredsfiolen |
| Other instruments with edge intarsia | MohteMohte 2Arwitgamban M285MeyergambanKulturencellonKulturengambanAngeredsfiolen |
| Other instruments with a lion head | TuppenKarlhamnsfiolenElvisBulanGöteborgsfiolenSödlingTielkegamban M2475JamtlifiolenBostongambanKulturenfiolenArwitgamban M285DubbeltulpanenTrippeltulpanenKulturencellonKulturengambanNils NilssonAngeredsfiolen |