Victorian Romance Rosette

July 29, 2022

Hi Everybody!

We do a lot of different sound holes on our dulcimers. One of the more popular choices is our Victorian Romance rosettes.

These little pieces of wood are complicated to make - multiple tools, multiple step. The first photo is the top view - we cut an oval hole in a dulcimer top and the rosette drops into the hole. Halfway. The rosette sits on a shelf we've cut into the back of the rosette, called a "rabbet."

The second photo (back view) shows the rabbet (rebate to our UK readers!) that allows the rosette to drop into the sound hole partway, but not go all the way into the body. This requires some precise machining to get everything lined up properly. It makes for a beautiful (and thin-profile, because of the rabbet) rosette, though.