martin swan

I think they are strikingly similar - edgework, corners, button, purfling. Both have the same rather comical "mistake" where the bottom corner on the bass side takes a steeper upward turn than on the treble side ...

The stick looks like Markneukirchen work to me, probably early 20th century. The frog is most likely from something else as it's rather narrower than the stick, but also looks German overall. The button looks like it might belong to either the frog or the stick, but also German. There seems to be a great deal of wear to the nipple/screwhole, and on a better bow I would recommend getting that bushed. Actuallylooking again, maybe the frog fits but is rolling on the stick because it's not tight - it definitely seems to be in a different place in the first photo compared to the subsequent shots ...

Indeed - thanks for your empathy and humanity. I am also done.

That is exactly what "society" is - a curbing of the more egotistical elements of human nature for the greater good. Your argument is facile and very unoriginal - it's used by libertarians the world over to defend the indefensible.

Why not read the OP's question? Everyone can use Google

That's definitely the period I associate with this use of Ges. Gesch.

Slapped ad lib on any number of late 19th century Saxon violin labels.

My constructive opinion .... Lara St. John should not be victim-shamed for an album cover that has absolutely nothing to do with a previous alleged assault. Lara St. John's allegations should not be more or less credible depending on one's personal opinion of her worth as a violinist. Curtis seem to be finally taking the many allegations seriously - better late than never. I have to say I'm not very interested in the particular case, but the same process of institutional self-examination is being carried out pretty much everywhere, with broadly similar levels of clumsiness. We should encourage each and every attempt to take responsibility for past actions where power relationships were exploited for a single individual's gratification. Of course it's difficult to draw the line, and opening up to this process can give a voice to bad people, but such is life. There are some tawdry individuals here on Maestonet whose views are not civilized. I suggest we stop the planet, let them get off, and then we can continue with our proper business. I have one teenage daughter - fortunately she hasn't had to deal with these issues in any serious way. She was mildly stalked for a while. Does that invalidate my position? I was subjected to some behaviours while at private school which would now be regarded as beyond the pale (and in retrospect seem kinky and sadistic). At the age of 14/15 I just took these to be normal - my adult self knows better, and I could get people into trouble if I so desired. But I don't - no-one is at risk from these people now, and I am very glad the world has moved on. But now that you mention it, why AM I here? It's absolutely the wrong place to discuss any of this. Good point.

I agree that in quality of tone and workmanship one could find an equivalent at a lower price tag, but the fact is that the Collin-Mézin brand sells. I think it's easier to sell a 1910 ish French trade violin with a CM label for $8000 than a 1910 French trade violin with a Laberte label for $4000. So for this reason, given the family's agenda ie. the need to combine good sound and future saleability on a relatively limited budget, I think it's a good choice.

Too funny - if you had been here longer you would know that we find it almost impossible to actually agree on anything. This is a group of people who can spend 20 pages disagreeing about whether you should use string angle or overstand as a starting point for organizing the trigonometry of a violin. And don't get us started on how soundpost position affects sound, a war will break out! So the notion that your wombat-like understanding of 21st century sexual politics is being rejected because of "groupthink" is as naive as it it self-serving.

I am pretty suspicions of any violin where we don't see full images of front and back ...! Also the lighting in these shots is strangely familiar - can't help thinking of our friends in the South of France.

Some sorts of tone need to be limited ...

Not really - I suppose I have seen and played about 20 1920s Roths, many different models, Strad, DG, Amati even. With Collin-Mézin I have played maybe 10 pre-1885, all astounding, and sold 2 or 3. We've sold or had for sale 5 or 6 more tradey late 19th century models, and I have seen another 10 or so. But it's not really anecdotal, it's to do with the model and the physical features of the instruments. My analysis would be that 1890s CMs are broadly equivalent to 1920s Roths - some outstanding, many good, a few rather indifferent, and a wide range of models, materials and workmanship.

The classic Collin-Mézin model was a kind of broad flat Strad model, and in my experience this model always sounds outstanding, really far superior to almost all 1920s Roths. However from about 1885 onwards, other more commercial models appeared, and often these sound quite poor. From about 1895 the classic model is gone .... It's rather a sad story, but it's essentially what we see in most areas of commerce today - a brand that becomes highly respected because of its quality, and is then exploited for profit to the point where all that's left is the brand. Post 1906 there are nice sounding Collin-Mézins, but the proportion of good ones to lemons is the same as with any Mirecourt workshop or factory production. With these violins people are only buying the brand, since the tone and workmanship of a good JTL or Laberte or Apparut would be exactly the same.

Well I know Blank Face personally and have discussed all matters with him equitably for nearly 10 years, whereas you I don't know from Adam, and everything you say seems boorish, ill-informed and patronising, cloaked in cod psychology and sociologhorrea. It is the first refuge of an anonymous internet troll to say that facts are facts, and that peoples' reputations don't matter. And yet the significant players here on MNet all know each other - even if they disagree, they do it with civility and mutual respect. Many of the apparently anonymous posters who have standing here are in touch with each other privately, or share their names with people they wish to connect with as real people. If you want a dose of reason or fact, just look at the egg you got on your face with your "Paganini with a file" campaign. You may call 10 highly knowledgeable people disagreeing with you "mob rule" - I call it you being wrong. If you'd like to sum up your arguments as to why someone who allows herself to be photographed for a Bach cover revealing a bit of skin was obviously gagging for it when assaulted as a minor, perhaps we can take them apart too. Shit-stirrers come and go on Maestronet - they aren't missed when they finally head off in search of more fertile pastures.