The Harvard Encyclopedia of Music mentions a Violino piccolo tuned either a third or a fourth above the violin, known to have been used in the 16th and 17th century. It's reported that Bach wrote a part for it in the first Brandenburg Concerto, tuned a third up.

The instrument was described as about the same size as "a child's 3/4 violin," and it's mentioned that an authentic instrument is difficult to identify due to similarity to small violins intended for children.

The Brandenburg part by Bach is the only composition mentioned in that article.

The instrument fell out of use when violinists in general learned to play in second (and higher) positions, allowing them to use the same pitches as the violin piccolo. Since finger positions get closer nearer the bridge (and the shorter the string), it may have been quite difficult to play above first, or possibly second, position on the little one, so it probably didn't extend the range much beyond what violinists could do just as well once the techniques were developed and taught (and once the wire wound gut strings were improved a little).

John