Violin maker with initials AA?

[Melvillearts]

This inscription was found inside a violin - can anyone help with what it means? Is Schloss a person or as I suspect a place in Saxony?

'Antonius Stradivarius by A A Schloss Saxony Anno 1716'

[Polk]

Well, I can tell you this; Schloss in German usually refers to a castle or palace or some type of building. Also in German, AA can sometimes be used to describe a government office or an official body of some sort. So it "sort" of translates to "Government Castle", which of course, doesn't make sense does it. Can't find a reference to an A A Schloss maker in any of my books. Maybe a made up name for an import?

Is this on a ;label and is anything else on it?

[vathek]

Is the word 'by' in English? or is it bei?

[Melvillearts]

The words are as seen inside the instrument. I'm no expert - actually I know hardly anything about violins - so am trying to work out if this is worth something or is a poor fake. Apart from the inscription inside, there is nothing else to say that it was made in 1716.

I too can find no reference to anyone called Schloss who made violins, but the word is by and not bei.

All suggestions welcome.

[lyndon]

1716 is simply the date of the stradivari violin being copied, it has nothing to do with the date of manufacture which should be closer to 1900 or after, since its written in english, not german

[vathek]

Yes, the word 'by' in English probably means it was made for export to US or Uk