Blank face

The biggest disadvantage might be that the perpendicular grain of the inlaid cleats will invariably blast the seam with the slightest shrinkage of the bottom wood.

Considering all this, I'm wondering why old worn out (or should I say rotten?) clarinets are offered for astonishing prices? Are they even worth a repair? https://www.ebay.de/itm/264975204629?hash=item3db1c0c115:g:TTYAAOSw1lBf1hxu

There are also big gaps between the frog slide and the stick causing an uneven pull. I agree that a misfit of frog and stick of such an amount will have a negative impact on the stick, maybe will cause damage a crack in the long run. To avoid this the OP should look for a frog which matches the shape of the stick better than the actual.

Thanks. From the first pictures I thought it could be possibly a Mirecourt bow, but at least frog and adjuster are German. Otherwise I agree with Fiddlecollector that the wood is hard to identify, neither Abeille nor clearly Pernambuco, so it might be something else "tropical". Though nickel mounts were used at bows which were (and are still) sold cheaper this doesn't mean at all that a nickel mounted bow can't be a good player, therefore drawing conclusions about a particular time of production or particular makers doing this is misleading. Playing qualities are usually regarded very dif

Thanks for coming in here, Martin. I didn't want to bother you to give your opinion, but this all sounds quite logical.

Can you see if there's a pin in the adjuster and show the underslide? The Henley description doesn't seem to fit to this bow.

I have no problem with being corrected by some expert seeing it in person with more detailled information. Especially not when I declared that it could be opinion (by photos) only. OTOH I still won't buy it as French 1920s from what I'm seeing. But other eyes might see something different.

Yes, probably more late 18th.

To me it looks like a sort of Mittenwald/South Germany, too. The lower rib could have been cut for shortening.

You mustn't forget that these were made in division of labour by specialsts. There wasn't one worker making 2 complete violins per week, but shops producing scrolls, others rib garlands, plates etc. and delivering them to the wholesaler, who supplied them with wood and other material. More than the half of the production was "einfache Quaität" without much refinement. Therefore such numbers aren't astonishing in any way and left time enough for the field necessary work, considering the rather low wages. The OP pictures are showing some romantic orchestration of comfortable artists in trad

You could try to find out if the ribs are let into a groove in the back. Is there a sort of arch carved into the inside pegbox north? Are the corner blocks longer in the C bouts or the ends of the linings glued over this blocks? All this features could point to France. Unfortunately your photos aren't of such a resolution that it's possible to see anything of it. Otherwise a Dendro* (f.e. by MN member Peter Ratcliff) could help to decide if it's even possible to be made before 1800. *Jacob possibly won't like the idea

Definitely a crack, not directly at the post but treated dreadfully. Unfortunately this reduces the value of the fiddle immensely.

Thanks. A bit complicated, but now it works. Thanks to Bruce, too.

Sorry, but the link doesn't work?

I can't find a documentary for 1873 yet, but Zunterer (in the German essay for the museum) gives a weekly production number of 180 violins made by 85 workers in 1811, based on the "Gewerbestatistik von 1811". He calculates a total production per anno of 6500 - 7000, including a 3 months summer rest for the necessary farm work. Following him, in 1880 the workers were 150, and supposing more efficient working methods the complete production was probably more in the low five figure number. Still very low compared with the Vogtland making which was about ten times of this.