Colleen McTigue

Look up the books by Henry Strobel. He has a full series, and they're very reasonably priced, and contain a lot of good advice and information. His books include "My Real-World Violin Shop", "Violin Making, Step by Step" (also Viola and Cello versions), "Art & Method of the Violin Maker", and "Useful Measurements for Violin Makers" and others. He also gives good advice regarding tools, which ones can be made, which ones are worth buying. You will definitely need a few good gouges, a few good planes of different sizes, good sharp knives, and sharpening tools (as Mr. Schmidt says, the first thing to learn is how to properly sharpen tools). Also google "Michael Darnton Violin Book" - he is a very excellent maker and prolific poster here, who has made large portions of a book-in-progress available in PDF form on the Internet. And welcome!

Glad to hear it, my friend. You already could see more clearly than most.

Apparently he made many (maybe most?) of his own tools. I got a gouge he made from a file, a couple of gauges (homemade) and some homemade scrapers. I didn't see any planes or knives.

Yes, I was wondering if it might be bigleaf. I absolutely love the chatoyance of that piece in picture #2. As for the belly wood, looking closely, I do see what many would call flaws... bear claw, for instance. Very light on this one, but there. And the grain isn't completely straight, it kind of converges into the middle, but it's very light.

This is from the person who posted the "Luthier Liquidation" thread in the Luthier Exchange forum. Possibly as much as 40 years old. From the collection of the late Sergio de Paoli. In Windsor, Ontario, Canada. I made a day trip of it.

There may be more like it still, contact the seller (Audrey). Most of the wood is from the mid-70s (40 years ago).

Nice to see someone using interesting, non-standard wood. I acquired this piece last weekend in Windsor (see the "Luthier Liquidation" thread in the "Luthier Exchange" forum). I was drawn to it by its spectacular flame. No idea if it will make a good instrument, but I hope so. The wood is from the collection of the late Sergio de Paoli, whose daughter is selling his (rather vast) collection of wood and other items.

Interesting, except that violins aren't the same sort of commodity as luxury cars. Nobody makes a living using a Rolls Royce as their primary tool. You can't make art with a luxury car, except by consuming it. I think it's more like tools of a trade. There is a finite supply of the ones considered "best", so that partially explains it, but violins are also "objets d'art" in their own right, and therefore collectible.

I'm guessing we'll suck back a couple of cool ones, while watching the UFO races...

Yes indeed, my friend, I'm definitely good with that! And when the time comes, I'll come visit you, the better to check them out in person, and make a selection.

I would think that sheet gold would be easier to work, because it's softer, but what do I know? The softness might create its own difficulties. Love watching this thread! When the time comes for me to buy one, I can say that not only do I know the maker, but I watched it being made! How cool is that?

I drove down there today, and can vouch that this sale is not to be missed. Many, many one-piece backs and tops, 35-year-old wood.

With CITES, I don't think you can use the ivory. Once the ivory is removed from the piano, you can no longer prove how old it is. Might as well throw it away.

Some of those backs look quite stunning! I'm definitely going to make a trip there! Just hope there's still some good pieces left by the time I get there.

Even from my vastly less-experienced-and-knowledgeable vantage point, I agree. It seems to me it matters far more what we DO with the wood. Don Noon's example of his fiddle with a top made from firewood, I think, shows this quite well.