I was looking at a little book I got from the Ashmolian and it had a small decorated Stradivari violin, the Cipriani-Potter. I have seen other Stradivari that use this technique. It is usually stated that the patterns are carved into the instrument and filled with a black mastic. I am pretty sure I have no idea what this mastic is. I always think of mastic as a very stick black glue or caulking or something that is used in varnish.
Is there anyone that does this kind of work or is it one of those things that have passed into the realm of lost arts?
DLB