Hardanger Fiddle. Culture: Norwegian. Dimensions: Height: 24 7/16 in. (62 cm). Date: 1786.
The Hardanger fiddle of western Norway has a violin form but features a fanciful scroll, a highlly decorative fingerboard and tailpiece, ink designs on front and back and sympathetic strings that run through the bridge and under the fingerboard. Isak N. Botnen (1669-1759) and his son Trond Botnen made both standard violins and Hardanger fiddles.