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TheHelland family fromBø inTelemark is aNorwegian dynasty ofHardanger fiddle-makers who made the most significant and important contribution to the development of the Norwegian Hardanger fiddle tradition. The celebrated Norwegian fiddlerOle Bull played on Helland fiddles.
During nearly 200 years and four generations the family counted 14 fiddle makers, many of them among the most important in the fiddle-maker tradition in Norway. It may well be the largest fiddle maker family in history.
Olav Gunnarson Helland settled inNotodden, Telemark, Norway in 1896 and established a Hardanger fiddle workshop. His fiddles are considered among the finest within the tradition.[1]
Knut Gunnarsson Helland and Gunnar Gunnarsson Helland emigrated to US in 1901 and settled inChippewa Falls,Wisconsin where they became well knownski jumpers. They opened a fiddle workshop, "Helland Brothers" together. Knut died in 1920 and his brother Gunnar continued the business until 1927.
John Gunnarson Helland settled inSkien, Telemark, Norway and ran a workshop and a music shop until his death in 1977.
The other fiddle makers continued their work in Bø until the last, Knut Knutsson Steintjønndalen died in 1969.
Note on older Norwegian names: The second name is apatronymic (meaning literally e.g. "Jon's son" or "Erik's daughter"). The third name is a family name, derived from the farm where they lived, or originated from.
Jon Eilevsson learned his trade from his father,Eilev Jonsson Steintjønndalen, and became a fine violin maker. But he gave it up at an early age when he left the area. There are still a number of good Hardanger fiddles left by him.
The great Hardanger fiddle playerHalvor Jøren from Bø brought one, named "The Troll", with him to the US, where it disappeared.