Dwight Brown

Full size. My Matsuda after the Lafont Del Gesu is 351mm and I'm not a pixie :-) I think generally most violin family measurements are done with a tape. Yes I am geeky enough to own a giant vernier caliper but I record stuff with some cool Starrett brand tape measures I have found. (anybody have a favorite?) DLB

I was thinking the frog looked rather low and the cut out seemed rather deep. Maybe I am just not seeing it correctly ? DLB

This fairly ordinary Finkle viola bow is up for auction at Tarisio. Did someone carve out the front of the frog on this bow. The area looks kind of odd. https://tarisio.com/auctions/auction/lot/?csid=2199617536&cpid=3815129088&filter_key= DLB

I believe that was a shop mark put there to keep the stick and the matching frog together on the bench. You may find the same mark on the stick. DLB

Perhaps William Johnson. There appears to be two notches one each in the lower corners of the head mortise. https://www.thehillbow.com/william-g-johnston/ I am no expert, I’m sure someone more qualified will be by. DLB

Agreed. DLB

It would be vanishingly rare to find a real Guarneri of any stripe, but not completely impossible. DLB

The first thing to do would be to take some pictures of the violin and let us see what it looks like. The label inside the violin is easily faked. DLB

https://www.facebook.com/beinandfushi/posts/a-rare-trench-cello-by-we-hill-sonsin-honor-of-memorial-day-were-taking-a-break-/10158156006854890/ DLB

Dude! Good to see you! DLB

https://www.amazon.com/Corning-6795-400D-PC-400D-Digital-Pyroceram/dp/B004DGID7Y/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2DBI9KQK56S56&keywords=lab+hot+plate&qid=1653080585&sprefix=lab+hot+plate%2Caps%2C148&sr=8-5 Maybe something like this. I had this sort of thing in my lab and they worked well and were safe. It may be too small and overkill as far as temperature control goes. Joe R. Probably has more experience than anyone cooking the magic stuff. :-) DLB

https://www.thehillbow.com/wehill-bowmakers/ This may help. DLB

Any markings on the tip plate of the Hill stamped bow (under the hair). ? DLB

It took some calibration but I'm using a sensorpush in my instrument room. As Maestro Burgess has stated before accuracy of Hygrometers remains a problem. There are some calibration bags that let you test your devices at several different humidity levels. I have had mixed results with them. As far as I can find Chilled Mirror Hygrometers are more accurate but really only practical for museums and perhaps very valuable private collections. https://www.instrumart.com/products/46086/michell-instruments-s8000-chilled-mirror-hygrometer DLB

They are very nice. I have a couple. DLB