Maidstone violins

[Bernie R]

These constantly appear on EBay UK; does anyone have any general and/or interesting observations about them? Are there different identifiable grades, or periods of manufacture, or different manufacturers?

[martin swan]

They came from different manufacturers, but always lower level Saxon and Schoenbach instruments - having said that there's a wide range of build quality, I've seen some diabolical ones with very poor work, very poor wood and no corner blocks, others have been OK. They were bought in huge quantity by Murdochs, who then labeled them as "The Maidstone" for use in school orchestras ... of the dozen or so I've played, one sounded really nice, the others were somewhere between not good and distinctly bad!

There's some interesting stuff about the Maidstone movement in this article .... up to 40,000 UK schoolchildren per year participated in the orchestras!

violin teaching in England

[geoff1954]

I know, before you tell me, this is an old topic. However I have a little to add. Most of the Maidstones I've seen over the years (and I buy and sell at this end of the market) have the same features and were probably made in the same factory in Bohemia. (Dark chestnut varnish colour, broadly flamed maple, inelegant scrolls, inlaid purfling, etc.) Murdoch must have bought them by the thousand. They rarely have cracks and play well enough. Worth setting up. However I'm fairly sure that some Maidstones came from Germany., and I've seen two which were definitely French, by the JTL worshops. 

I've just acquired a violin with a Maidstone label which is a blue/purple colour, rather than the usual brown. But the same shape and design of label. I took the belly off in order to reattach the neck and found that it was beautifully made inside. Fully blocked, linings neatly tucked in, smooth back and belly, nicely shaped bass bar. The timber used for the back is also unusual with a prominent vertical wide grain. It actually looks like spruce or pine but is definitely a hardwood. Anyone seen a Maidstone like this?  I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays. 

 

[ClefLover]

Do you think the varnish was originally blueish-purple, or rather a change over time due to the original varnish ingredients/cooking?

[geoff1954]

Cleflover:  It is the label which is blue/purple, not the varnish! Sorry, I can't have made this clear. The varnish is actually quite a light brown colour. 

[matesic]

I thought blueish-purple sounded a bit gaudy, even for a Maidstone! For 20 years I played in the Maidstone SO. Wondered if it might make good publicity for the whole violin section to play on eponymous instruments, but then again...

[ClefLover]

11 hours ago, geoff1954 said:

Cleflover:  It is the label which is blue/purple, not the varnish! Sorry, I can't have made this clear. The varnish is actually quite a light brown colour. 

I’m sorry, I misread your previous post.