purfling

Violin border strip

Purfling is the decorative inlaid border around the edges of a stringed instrument, particularly violins and other members of the violin family.

Typically made of thin strips of wood or fiber in contrasting colors, purfling serves both aesthetic and structural purposes—it helps prevent cracks from spreading inward from the edges.

The purfling on this Stradivarius is remarkably well preserved.

luthiery

inlay

Embedded surface ornamentation

bindingLegally or morally required
rosetteCircular ribbon ornament
soundholeOpening in acoustic instrument

f-hole · luthier · varnish · tonewood · scroll · fingerboard · bridge · saddle · nut · pegbox

decoration

ornamentation

Decorative additions to something

embellishmentDecorative addition or exaggeration
filigreeDelicate twisted-wire ornamentation
adornmentDecorative addition or accessory

scrollwork · arabesque · flourish · tracery · fretwork · motif · gilding · beading · intarsia · marquetry

craftsmanship

woodworking

Craft of shaping lumber

precisionAccuracy of measurement
artisanshipSkilled manual work quality
handcraftedMade manually, not machined

joinery · veneer · chiseling · carving · finishing · workmanship · skill · meticulous · finesse · channel

border

edge

Boundary or sharpness

outlineSummary of key elements
perimeterShape's outer edge length
marginEdge of a page

contour · frame · demarcation · banding · strip · rim · boundary · surround · periphery

Opposites

function

purflingbracing

Refreshingly keen or stimulating

linings · struts

visibility/location

purflinginner workings

Hidden operational components

Family

purfled

Familiarity: Top 1,000,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Rated G