Nicolas Temino

Definitely not the best example of Spanish violin making.

Which one sounds best to you? Which one feels more comfortable/easy to play? I would never choose an instrument only by its look.

Agreed. I would leave it as it is.

I use that one too. Works fine but you must be careful with the end pins with pins.

Nick, not in italy but in Spain (Zaragoza province). Original Painting was by Elias Garcia circa 1930 and had almost no artistic value. But after “restoration” by Cecilia Giménez, an amateur painter, it has become a touristic success and has generated more than 50,000€ on donations to a local charity only the first year after the restoration, and has increased the number of visitors from 6,000 to near 200,000.

SSS = Sinichi Suzuki School

Not really. Song’s workshop violins have completely different varnishes and shape.

If the violin has been identifiedI would tell the buyer that the label is fake and ask him weather he wants to keep the label or have it removed.

I have seen a couple of these. Diamonds and dots are not bone but synthetic mother of pearl and Inlays are painted instead of carved and ebony dust filled, much thinner than they should be. But with a correct setup they sound mellow and nice. Sometimes you can find one in eBay or AliExpress for around 700 USD.

IQ can’t be negative.

Or when a thing does not look like the standard Markie thing.

Mr. Burgess has nailed it. But, as you like the voice of the cello, I would try to extend his the life by cleating that joint and hoping it lasts.

Not a L. Bisiach at all. That edgework does not fit (but maybe the angle of the pics). But an interesting one indeed.

Officina Monteverde was cavalli’s workshop in Cremona. His team made a range of different quality instruments, from student grade to quite good ones. Aristide Cavalli died in 1931, so this one cannot be from his own hands. ....or I might be completely wrong.

Aristide Cavalli? Or someone at Officina Monteverde?