Simon Schödler Passau

[jacobsaunders]

Several weeks ago, I promised somebody that I would post a real Signature from Schödler in Passau. I can no longer remember who I promised, or in which thread, so I hope that the gentleman concerned will find it here

[Michael Appleman]

Can we see the violin?

[jacobsaunders]

Viola, not violin, and yes, when I have finished chasing the worms

[Michael Appleman]

This could be an extremely interesting process to follow! Would you be willing to share any of the restoration images with us? 

[Blank face]

http://www.maestronet.com/forum/index.php?/topic/325007-old-interesting-lion-head-baroque-violin-id-help/

 

#13

[Rue]

This is exciting!  An 'is' thread instead of a 'what is?' thread!

[Dwight Brown]

I think the picture of the label against the curl of the wood is lovely all on it's own.

 

 

dlb

[Rue]

...and here I was wondering why these old labels are never cut symmetrically...and wondering about 100s of years of accumulated dirt...

[jacobsaunders]

 

[Janito]

Any thoughts on the process involved in making the varnish so black? Accident of time or intentional?

[jacobsaunders]

Any thoughts on the process involved in making the varnish so black? Accident of time or intentional?

http://www.maestronet.com/forum/index.php?/topic/329003-took-the-plunge-first-ebay-violin-toughts/?p=597317

[Blank face]

"jacobsaunders, on 14 Sept 2013 - 4:40 PM, said:

 

PS: A further frequent “old wives tale” is that they have considerably darkened with age. This is certainly not the case, since in the course of the 100ish years that it was used, the violin makers would have noticed. I had a varnish sample analyzed years ago at Dortmund University from a J. C. Leidolff cello of 1764, and the colouring agent was identified as soot."

 

 

The Geissenhof book

 

http://www.maestronet.com/forum/index.php?/topic/332109-geissenhof-violin-book/?hl=%2Bgeissenhof+%2Bbook

 

http://www.amazon.de/s/280-5897277-1996068?ie=UTF8&field-keywords=Franz%20Geissenhof%20und%20seine%20Zeit&index=blended&link_code=qs&sourceid=Mozilla-search&tag=firefox-de-21

 

shows some microscopic photos and analysis of dark viennese varnishes confirming this.

 

Thank you very much for the pictures!

BTW, did you find out something about the year of making, and how long is the LOB?

[deans]

Thats a really cool viola, how big is it?

[Michael_Molnar]

Thanks Jacob and BF for the explanation. 

[jacobsaunders]

"jacobsaunders, on 14 Sept 2013 - 4:40 PM, said:

 

PS: A further frequent “old wives tale” is that they have considerably darkened with age. This is certainly not the case, since in the course of the 100ish years that it was used, the violin makers would have noticed. I had a varnish sample analyzed years ago at Dortmund University from a J. C. Leidolff cello of 1764, and the colouring agent was identified as soot."

 

 

The Geissenhof book

 

http://www.maestronet.com/forum/index.php?/topic/332109-geissenhof-violin-book/?hl=%2Bgeissenhof+%2Bbook

 

http://www.amazon.de/s/280-5897277-1996068?ie=UTF8&field-keywords=Franz%20Geissenhof%20und%20seine%20Zeit&index=blended&link_code=qs&sourceid=Mozilla-search&tag=firefox-de-21

 

shows some microscopic photos and analysis of dark viennese varnishes confirming this.

 

Thank you very much for the pictures!

BTW, did you find out something about the year of making, and how long is the LOB?

The back length is 38,4, which is a fairly standard Füßen viola size. The last two numbers of the date have completely faded away. A violist from Bulgaria showed me his similar one, 2 weeks ago, and on his, one could read 1785.

Feel sorry for the homeless worms now

[jacobsaunders]

A few years ago, I posted this topic as a reference thread on the violin maker, Simon Schödler, in Passau. The idea was that anybody who started a Google search for Schödler would inevitably arrive at this thread. Since then, for a different thread, I have posted the entry in the Passau death register for Schödler, and would like to update this Schödler reference thread with these details

 

Schödler is recorded in the Passau Sterbefälle Book (death register). The date of his entry is 27. June 1793. This is in contrast to the supplement volume 3 of Lütgendorff, which on page 543, lists him as having died on 22^nd June 1793. 

The entry specifies that he was certainly buried on the 27^th, it could be thinkable that he passed away a few days earlier.

 

The text of this entry can be read here, the penultimate entry:

 

https://data.matricula-online.eu/en/deutschland/passau/passau-stpaul/018/?pg=192

 

A translation of the main text would read:

 

H* Simon Schod-

ler Hochfürstlicher

Kammerport-

ier, dann

Hofgeigen

und Lauten

macher

*H = hochlöblicher

 

We also learn from the adjoining columns that he died in the house “Zu Neumarkt” with the conscriptions number 471. With further effort, it should be possible to find the current address of this house, and should it still exist. We also learn that he was catholic and died aged 65.

 

It is a matter of dispute exactly what one should understand under “Kammerportier”. One thinks of a porter as someone who stands by a door, and checks who goes in or out. I consider that unlikely though. It certainly infers that Schödler was an appointed member of the court, which would have been a prestigious post, particularly regarded in the context of the fact that 18^th C violin makers, in the general rule lived in bitter poverty, few of them even being able to afford a decent funeral, which was a matter of essential importance back then. It is also interesting that they write that he was “Kammerportier” and then “Hofgeigenmacher”, which could lead one to wonder which of these two posts were his main source of earnings.