Bearing its original neck, bass bar, and lower saddle. Charles and Samuel Thompsons\' shop and workshop flourished from around 1763 in London. They were the sons and successors of Peter Thompson who was active in London from 1738, he worked at various signs including \'Violin, Hautboy, & German Flute\', \'Violin & German Flute\', \'Viol & Hautboy\'. The sons Charles and Samuel worked at the \'Sign of the Bass Violin\' in St Paul\'s Churchyard, London. This is a fine and exceptional example from their shop. The attractive back in a single piece of maple of strong medium curl running horizontally across the back. The ribs similar, the neck, pegbox, and scroll of somewhat finer curl. The front in two pieces of spruce of medium grain. The varnish of a warm, dark orange-brown colour on an amber ground and in a good state of preservation. Labelled CHAs & SAMl THOMPSON in St Pauls Church Yard 17 LONDON 75 Length of back 352mm Width upper bout 157mm Width middle bout 110mm Width lower bout 200mm