Bromptons lot 258

[Zorzi]

I saw this violin at the last Bromptons sale yesterday and wondered if anyone had any thoughts on it?

http://www.bromptons.co/auction/23rd-june-2014/lots/258-a-very-fine-and-interesting-italian-violin-after-peter-guarneri-of-mantua.html

It has a really interesting outline. I like how the upper corners jut out almost horrizontaly. I don't recall seeing a violin with a similar outline.

I also love the choice of wood. Is it what some people refer to as 'oppio'?

I thought I would post this in the hope of hearing other people's opinions about it. Does it look particularly 'Mantuan', if so, are there certain characteristics which go with that school? Interesting that it is sold with paperwork stating its a Balestieri and it's listed as after Peter of Mantua.

Any thoughts?

A quick disclaimer - I didn't buy it so I'm not fishing for attribution hints - I'm just curious

[Violadamore]

Beautiful.  Decent provenance too.  Nice to see the real thing for a change.  Thank you for posting this 

[jacobsaunders]

Nice to see the real thing for a change.

What do you mean, "the real thing"? - "the real" what?

[Violadamore]

What do you mean, "the real thing"? - "the real" what?

As opposed to "the usual" branded as Strad?  If you have something to say, Jacob, please say it. 

[jacobsaunders]

Not Balestieri, probably ”real” something. General head-scratching

[Violadamore]

Not Balestieri, probably ”real” something. General head-scratching

Ahhh.  Thank you, Jacob. 

[Will L]

It is a very interesting violin by all means.  Balestrieri are super playing instruments.  The last real one I saw was already $150,000 over 15 years ago, so I doubt anyone at Brompton's thinks it is either Petrus or Balestrieri.  

 

Here is a nice example.  Hard not to love the strength of his work:

 

http://sparebankstiftelsen.no/en/Dextra-Musica/Instruments/Balestrieri-Tommaso-Violin

 

A video:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXTmzQtQDa8

[hendrik]

I saw this violin at the last Bromptons sale yesterday and wondered if anyone had any thoughts on it?

http://www.bromptons.co/auction/23rd-june-2014/lots/258-a-very-fine-and-interesting-italian-violin-after-peter-guarneri-of-mantua.html

It has a really interesting outline. I like how the upper corners jut out almost horrizontaly. I don't recall seeing a violin with a similar outline.

I also love the choice of wood. Is it what some people refer to as 'oppio'?

I thought I would post this in the hope of hearing other people's opinions about it. Does it look particularly 'Mantuan', if so, are there certain characteristics which go with that school? Interesting that it is sold with paperwork stating its a Balestieri and it's listed as after Peter of Mantua.

Any thoughts?

A quick disclaimer - I didn't buy it so I'm not fishing for attribution hints - I'm just curious

 

Oppio:  looks like could be some local maple.

 

Here a Balestrieri from Skinner: http://www.skinnerinc.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Mantua-School-Violin-2477-40.png

 

Outline looks similar but apparently he also made a different model with more squarish shoulders.

 

Here a nice Peter G of Mantua:

 

http://www.brobstviolins.com/gallery/large.asp?I=868

[Zorzi]

Really interesting to compare the OP fiddle with the Balestrieri of post #8.

The sound holes seem quite similar in some ways, the conception seems to be coming from a similar place. But for me the front view of the scroll seems to be pretty much identical on both.

Certainly the OP fiddle seems closer to Balestrieri than Peter of Mantua to my eye...