Ivory inserts in bridges?

[Allan Speers]

I just received a bunch of violin parts & tools from the early

1930's. Included are two Aubert bridges with e-string inserts that

look to be Ivory.  These are very deep "V"'s.

How common was this?  Would these be considered top bridges,

or more student-grade as with today's ebony inserts?

[violinbridges]

Alan

I don't think they were very common I have not seen many, ebony seemed to be the insert of choice.

Both were normally mid to lower grade bridges. Can you post a photo

www.violinbridges.co.uk

[Luuk]

Allan

I wouldn't know. My viola bridge has an ebony insert as well, on

the a-string. It isn't a student-grade bridge (or viola), however.

I never asked my viola maker why he did so, but now you aroused my

curiosity... As the ebony is inserted only at the place of the

thinnest string, I guess it prevents the string "cutting" into

the wood of the bridge, but I'm not sure about it.

Luke

[Magnus Nedregard]

It depends on the wood in the rest of the bridge, some old bridges have excellent wood, photo?

I've seen some Aubert bridges with ivory inserts that are WAY too deep, and they are mostly a bit useless, as it makes the E sound funny, and it also looks dangerous too me, might fall out.

They might be useable bridges in any case, but nowdays other ways of reinforcing the bridge under the E string are found to be much better.

[Winston]

I have a bridge from J. A. Gould & Sons, Boston, 1957, which has ivory inlays for both the A and E strings. These inlays are not visible on either the front or back surfaces of the bridge: they sit in a tiny mortise along the top edge. Each is about 5 mm. long, and slightly less than one mm. wide.

[oldgeezer]

My bridge has an insert under the E that was inlaid by the maker. It's just a very small ebony chip, not one of those large factory inserts. I use the plastic protector that comes with the E just the same. Those ivory inserts may be added by the person who cut the bridge rather than being a stock factory item.

[barnesviolins]

quote:

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I have a bridge from J. A. Gould & Sons, Boston, 1957, which has ivory inlays for both the A and E strings. These inlays are not visible on either the front or back surfaces of the bridge: they sit in a tiny mortise along the top edge. Each is about 5 mm. long, and slightly less than one mm. wide.

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I fist saw this method for the e string done by a prominant maker in Chicago. I liked it very much. I do that now on my own instruments. I really liked the look and the concept. I have a whole bag of old ivory piano keys that work perfectly.

I had a violin that I used ebony and gold trimmings on, so actually inlaid a piece of 14K gold under the e string.