Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'french violin?'.
Found 3 results
-
Hi, I am struggling to work out what my violin is prior to auction and was hoping to enlist the support of some experts! Below is the dendro report, which has produced unclear outcomes. Hoping someone could kindly provide their expert opinion. One thing is throwing me, Mittenwald violins are made with a one-piece bottom rib, which doesn't appear to be the case with this violin. Dendro Report: The belly is made in 2 sections, jointed down the middle. A total of 71 rings were measured on the bass side and 77 on the treble side. The grain orientation (tree-ring growth direction) runs from the edges inward on both sides. The tests were processed using the formula devised by Baillie & Pilcher for their 1973 CROS crossdating algorithm. This formula has been used by most professional dendrochronological software ever since. Results The most significant cross-matches with my database place the latest visible fully formed growth-ring on the bass side at A.D.1805 and a little later at A.D.1816 on the treble side. As the spring growth of the following year is just visible after the latest rings measured, one year needs to be added to the dates found, leading to an overall terminus post quem or earliest possible felling year of A.D.1817. A comparison of the plotted data on a graph shows very similar ring-patterns, slightly offset in time from each other. It seems clear that the 2 piece were recovered from the same tree. As the 2 sides are related, their data were combined into a mean chronology, which usually represents the general ring-pattern of the tree better than individual ring-series. The data were initially tested against published regional data from the International Tree-Ring Data-Bank (ITRDB). Several highly significant cross-matches were identified. The strongest results suggest that the origin of the trees is the central Alps. References from Switzerland, Kreuth in Bavaria, and southern Austria crossdated significantly. A good response was obtained against data from other instruments, with over 300 ring-patterns cross-matching significantly. From our database, they most significant cross-matches with the mean chronology (combined bass and treble side data) refer to the following instruments: A c.1840 Mittenwald violin, an 1870s French violin by JB Vuillaume, a 3/4 size Mittenwald violin of the Neuner school c.1860s, a violin attributed to the Panormo school, a Bavarian violin copy of Del Gesù, a c.1820/30 English viola of the Panormo/Furber school, a violin attributed to the "Marche" central Italian school, a c.1850/60 Mittenwald violin of the Neuner school, a French violin (Hill's import), a violin probably French c.1835/40, a Mittenwald Neuner violin , a c.1830 violin attributed to Italian school, a 1886 Mittenwald cello of the Neuner school, a 1838 French violin by A.S.P Bernardel, a c.1920 Italian violin by Leandro Bisiach, a French 1902 violin by Paul Bailly, an 1820 Mittenwald violin by Johannes Rieger, a 19th century Mittenwald violin, a c.1830s English cello, a c.1850/55 Mittenwald cello of the Neuner school, a c.1800 Bavarian/Mittenwald violin, a violin stamped "Goulding" possibly Mittenwald import, a French "Maggini copy, possibly Vuillaume workshop, a c.1890 German violin of the Dresden school, an English early 19th century cello probably by Joseph Panormo, a c.1855 Mittenwald cello, a c.1820/25 English violin by Jacob Fendt, a c.1890 Mittenwald violin by Neuner & Hornsteiner, an English viola of the Panormo school, a c.1840s Mittenwald Neuner violin, etc... The cross-matching tests identified correlations with instruments from a variety of origins, and it is therefore not possible to suggest a credible provenance for the instrument based on the results. Conclusion Essentially, with a dendrochronological or terminus post quem date of 1817, a making date from about the very early 1820s onward is possible.
-
Last month I purchased an “old French violin” from a gentleman in Ventenac-Cabardes, France. It is labeled: "Alex-dre DELANOY à Bordeaux, élève de JB Vuillaume, 1914". The violin also has a hand-inscription above the label "Modèle d'après Guadagnini" as pictured below. So, I’ve been told to be highly skeptical about labeling in violins with no validated provenance. My luthier in the Washington, D.C. area is not an expert in old European violins, but he said it is certainly an older instrument and in very nice condition. He believes it is of French origin, and postulates it may have been made by JTL in the early-mid 1900’s. I Googled JTL and see it was a mass-production Mirecourt workshop from the mid-1800’s until about 1970. Wiki shows many names used on JTL production labels, but Alexandre Delanoy is not among them. Interestingly, in his early days, Jérôme Thibouville was a partner in the instrument maker Husson-Buthod-Thibouville, and Delanoy apprenticed under Buthod in JB Vuillaume’s workshop in Paris. Not sure if there is anything to make of that indirect connection, but still interesting. My violin instructor is a well-credentialed professional free-lance violinist on the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore music scene. Last night he saw my new “old violin” for the first time. I must say, it sounds magnificent in his hands! He was very impressed and said it is a very nice instrument. He too thinks it is from France. He pointed out the “mascara” along the edges of the scroll, and told me that is typical of French violins (although I don’t know if mascara on the edges is a characteristic unique to French violins). He also told me it “sounds” like a French violin. I don’t know how a French violin sounds versus a German, Romanian, Italian, or Chinese instrument, but after playing it, my instructor agreed this is a French violin. So, I enjoy reading many of the Maestronet Forums topics and posts. I think there are many members who genuinely know what they are talking about. I would greatly appreciate hearing your thoughts about this violin. Do you agree it was likely made in France in the early 1900’s? Is it possible that this violin actually came from Delanoy’s Bordeaux workshop? If so, what are you seeing that supports that opinion? If not, why not? I’m anxious to hear your thoughts and grateful for your input.
-
I believe this violin to be of a French origin. But what maker could make this interesting violin? Any opinion?
