File:Viola (AM 1998.60.62-4).jpg

English: Viola, medium brown orange wood, scroll head, four pegs, three have mother of pearl inlaid head, black wood fingerboard, maple bridge, ebony tailpiece, ebony button, two silver fine tuners and one black fine tuner, chin rest attached with engraved curved cross pattern, double line front and back board, whole piece back, made in French style, possibly imported from France and relabelled 'f' holes after Guarneri case, violin shaped, wood, snake skin patterned paper lower, three metal hinges at back, front two clasps, one central lock, one leather handle attached by metal rings, metal protector boards at each end, four metal feet, green felt lining with positions for two bows 1 viola attributed to William Edward Smith, Wetherby, England, 1905 maple, spruce (European pine), poplar, ebony, pearl, gut, length of back 407mm 1998.60.62 Castle 99 William Edward Smith first worked in Leeds and later moved to Wetherby. ‘His later work as a violin maker is highly admired’. The viola was purchased from George Withers and Sons, London in 1927 by C R Sainsbury of Wairoa. The receipt for the instrument describes it as being made by ‘W. E. Smith, Wetherby, No 1, 1905’.