I just finished cleaning a very dirty attic-find 1/2 size violin purchased in the early 1900s.
Based on my readings here and elsewhere, it is professionally made and finished of beautiful tight-grain spruce and curly maple.
There is no label inside or any marks on the outside to indicate date or place or maker. The violin was found without fingerboard or fittings.
However, on the the fingerboard surface of the neck I discovered the numbers “1911” carved into the wood with a knife, a sharp round leather punch cut the circle of the digit 9. There were some other cryptic knife-cut symbols on the same surface.
The marks were obscured by glue residue and dirt but were prominent after cleaning with enzymatic cleaner (saliva), warm water, and alcohol.
Lesson Learned: Identifying marks may be hiding Underneath easily or routinely removed parts of an obscure instrument (or any other manufactured artifact).
I’ll post photos next week.
I hope someone finds this useful.
Sincerely,
Randy O’Malley