Northerner

México?

If anyone got The Strad model from the list above, I’d like to buy one

Thanks for your observation!

Here it is. I will post more photos when it comes back from the luthier all clean and set up.

This reminds me of you being a court appointed expert. Point taken.

In the photos I took before I sent it off to a restorer, I can’t see any signs of this platform. Were only through necks used in the 18th century in the area you mentioned?

Thank you for your comment, Jacob! It is clear that the top block is much newer than the bottom (might be original), so someone did reset the neck in the past. Are there any other signs I could look for? I am fascinated by the peculiar shape of the body. With those broad shoulders, it almost looks like a viola when looking at the back.

Dear community, Considering the photographs and the points below, where do you think this is from? 1. Linings let into corner blocks (square, not pointed) 2. Scroll fluting cut “till the bitter end” 3. Single piece bottom rib with alignment notch (-es) 4. Wide upper bout with broad shoulders 5. Pointy Corners 6. One-piece spruce top and slab-cut maple back

Here they are

Yes I do have both the frog and the button. The screw was very badly rusted and stuck, and the expanding rust has fractured the stick…

As I am not growing tomatoes at the moment I shall practice repair techniques on this one. Thanks!

Thank you for your reply. You are right on both accounts - that is a crack behind the mortise and the fittings are nickel.

If you have any ideas about the wood, workmanship or origin of this bow, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Many thanks!

Sorry Brad, missed this one. 1. It was just the head plate 2. Approximately 3mm

Yes I can, but it’s still slightly visible when pressed together. The first two photos are of the open crack, and the last three when I press it together

Thank you all for your replies! I have carefully removed the faceplate and the liner and this is what I am left with. What do you think be the best way to clean the crack and glue it if I’d go the CA way?

Dear community, How would you go about glueing a cracked mortice like this one? Could it be clamped tight and then glued with CA glue from the inside of the mortice? Your advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks so much for your replies @Brad Dorsey and @martin swan. Even a few native French speakers I asked could not decipher the hand-written label so this is very helpful! Unfortunately, I could not find any information about Paul Marot. Was he a luthier or a violinist is still a mystery. Also, it not being an Amati Mangenot now seems to be conclusive. But why is there his label and even his pencil signature inside the violin? As I mentioned in my original post, the violin sounds exceptional. Previously to this, I have played Leon Bernardel 1902, Frédéric Chaudière 2018, and Melvin Goldsmith (strangely, no makers label indside). The violin sounds equal if not better than any of them and the price was a quarter or less what you would pay for the former (which I could not afford). I feel very lucky! I wish I would know who made it so I can pay respect to them and praise their legacy.

Dear community, I have just bought this absolutely incredibly sounding violin. It was sold to me as an Amati Mangenot workshop instrument. The shop owner says the workmanship is different from Amati Mangenot violins. Does anyone have any ideas who could have made it? Also, could you try to decipher the second label above the printed one? Could that be a clue? LOB 352mm Upper bout 168mm Middle bout 113mm Lower bout 206mm

Dear community, I have this violin which I would love to hear your thoughts about. Also, could you please tell me what could be the white glue used for glueing the neck? LOB 360 Many thanks!

Thank you very much for your advice. Looked up the methods of repair you mentioned. Will see if I can get it repaired properly!

@nathan slobodkin thank you for your comment. I will look into replacing the lapping. The crack at the adjuster is repaired, just visible.

@fiddlecollector Thank you for pointing this out. I took more photos of this particular spot. To me, it looks like a dent / scratch as it doesn’t run parallel to the grain. Do you agree? Another place where there is definitely a repaired crack, is between the mortise and the adjuster. Does that devalue bow by much? Could you please confirm if the wood is pernambuco and if the lapping is silver or tinsel? From closer inspection it looks wound, more like tinsel. I am thinking of replacing it with silver if that is so. The current balance point measured from the end of adjuster is about 10” or 25.5cm. Not sure if that is the correct way to measure it. Do you think it would positively or negatively affect the balance if the lapping would be replaced to silver? Many thanks again!

@Blank face Thank you very much for your reply! I don’t think the head has been repaired? I managed to take some better photos. Do you still see it here?