Dwight Brown

I think his bows used to be 10K for gold mounted and something less for silver mounted but that was a while ago. Somewhere I have pictures of an amazing bow that he made with a clear acrylic frog and gold mounting he said he wasn’t sure he would ever do it again as it was really hard to work with. DLB

I grew up not far from there but I don’t remember anything about a maker by that name. There was instruments being made there. The Gibson factory was there. DLB

That’s quite a post! I’m glad to hear you liked David’s bows. He is a friend of mine going back to high school. We played in the same viola section and had the same teacher. I was very lucky to get one of his violin bows a while back. this is us about 44 years ago. David is the one in the front with the backwards viola. I’m in the back on the left next to our teacher. He made our teacher a gold mounted bow as a gift.

Not being a maker my advice is worth about zero. On the other hand I spend a lot of time thinking and looking at violins and violas. I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Just have at it and do your best. The third violin will be better than the first. You are at the perfect age to do anything in the world you might want to. The idea that Italy has an allowance for young people to buy books knocks me out! What a great thing that is! you do have a pretty famous violin making school in Cremona and there are a fair number of makers on this sight that might be able to help you. Good Luck! DLB

Here is a Stradivari with a lot going on on the back. DLB

My spidey senses tell me snake oil. On the other hand if you have an instrument you are really attuned to and play it every day changing almost anything can make it sound different to you. Chinrest, tailgut, fine tuner, etc. who knows! DLB

It's as if you were viewing a knot from the side. DLB

I think that is a feature of the grain of the spruce. It would be very odd for it to crack at 90 degrees to the grain. DLB

The Gustav Mahler would be my pick. It's a nice size and it is not too narrow through the center bout. We know it is a successful instrument as it is played by a very active soloist at the present time. I have discussed it with William Whedbee quite a bit and it is his favorite of the Stradivari violas. https://authenticatela.com/1672-gustav-mahler-stradivari-viola/ https://www.thestrad.com/featured-stories/bach-renewed-antoine-tamestit/9011.article DLB

Maria Altman’s father owned a Stradivari ‘cello that was taken by the Nazis. She is the woman that got the Klimt paintings returned to her. I don’t know anything about the location of the ‘cello DLB

Truly not worth anything . A tip plate and rehair would be way more than it's worth. Certainly not 75 Euros. DLB

I will say that for the price of an airline ticket and hotel I would be glad to go to New York, Berlin, or London to polish the silver on the auction bows. Some of them look pretty grubby! DLB

Not a bad idea. DLB

https://emuseum.nmmusd.org/collections/Bowed Strings;jsessionid=8D885FBA79CED462993F771A5A90306A DLB

I haven’t ever seen that. Notches might tend to tear the silk. DLB