rinamy Posted December 21, 2015 Report Share Posted December 21, 2015 Hello again, I had posted previously about a violin I was given by my mother-in-law and ended up appraising at Shar. To make a long story short, she found 2 more violins of her great-grandfather's after sorting through her mother's house which was sold. One does not appear to be in any condition that could be played without a lot of work (body is separating all over the place, neck is not attached, no soundpost, bridge, pegs, weird carvings in back), which I did not take. The other one looks in better condition than the first I was given. Here is a photo of the violin #3 which looks in very bad condition - aside from seams coming apart all over and unattached neck, the back looks like it has cracked in two and someone has carved a design into the wood quite roughly. There are no labels I could see inside. We did not take this one home with us when we visited this weekend. Violin #2 looks in much better shape. Including photos below (14 total in count). http://s1272.photobucket.com/user/rinamypics/slideshow/Violins%20no%202%20and%203 I'm bringing it to Shar Music when they are open (not open till Tuesday, and I'll have to call since it's Christmas week to make sure they are) but thought I'd ask you lovely experts and enthusiasts on your thoughts re: identification. I've included photos of the repair label (in 1974 by the same person who did repair on violin #1) and the "maker label" (looks like Strad copy, no mention of country of origin). Thanks for your input, I'm surprised that my mother-in-law's great-grandfather had so many violins but I suppose that wasn't unusual. (He immigrated from Ireland to Canada during the Potato Famine). Best Regards, Rina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deans Posted December 21, 2015 Report Share Posted December 21, 2015 I'm thinking you might want to hold off on the trip. The second one was an OK trade instrument but the neck "repair" killed it. The first one was junky to start with and only got worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted December 21, 2015 Report Share Posted December 21, 2015 I am inclined to save everything... But even I am thinking firewood for both of them... When it's your time...it's your time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rinamy Posted December 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2015 Thank you for your advice, I've added closer pictures of the neck repair for a better view below: Rina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rinamy Posted December 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2015 Ah I see Thank you again for replying. Since I last posted the first thread about the first violin, my husband has been considering getting one of the two we have in our possession restored sometime for his own sentimental value --- he does not play any instruments so it would be entirely for sentiment. I am more interested in viola than violin if I were to learn a second instrument (my instrument is piano) and so there is little chance I would play one of these violins myself. In terms of care of these, aside from keeping it in their cases, is there any other maintenance needed? We keep them in a room (where my piano is) where the temperature is at 68F and the humidity kept at 50-60%, would I still need to put a humidifying tube in each? Of the two violins which would be the "better" restoration in your opinion? Photos of violin #1 are here: http://s1272.photobucket.com/user/rinamypics/slideshow/Violin Shar repair shop appraised violin #1 repairs at approx. the same value of the violin ($400), which they judged to be a late 1800's-1900 German trade. Thank you very much for your input, Rina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrfiddle Posted December 21, 2015 Report Share Posted December 21, 2015 I doubt either one would be a playable instrument and storage is pretty irrelevant. They are very pretty wall decorations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
201MSE Posted December 21, 2015 Report Share Posted December 21, 2015 Before you toss them on the fire... I would be interested in them. I have some ideas for free violin wall hangers. (However, this would render them beyond any hope of playing again.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle duke Posted December 21, 2015 Report Share Posted December 21, 2015 I doubt either one would be a playable instrument and storage is pretty irrelevant. They are very pretty wall decorations. Wait a minute. Violin surgeon/doctor Hongda hasn't showed up yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Noon Posted December 21, 2015 Report Share Posted December 21, 2015 I agree that these are toast, and the bread was not anything special to start with. For sentimental value, I guess it's up to you to decide what condition it needs to be in to have the proper sentiment. For me, I'd just hang the "good" one on the wall without putting any more money into it, as a sentimental art object. The other one I'd pitch, unless you really like funky old trash art. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will L Posted December 21, 2015 Report Share Posted December 21, 2015 I am inclined to save everything... But even I am thinking firewood for both of them... When it's your time...it's your time... Before I read this I was thinking along the same lines. It's funny how hard it is to throw some things away, though. And junk violins are at the top of the list. Even if we know they are not worth the space they take up, we resist the urge to put them in the bin...because we have a stronger urge to avoid a big executive decision. We put them someplace. Then about ten years later, we do exactly the same thing again. That's how we got them in the first place: Our parents or g-parents did it 5 or 6 times, and we will, too. The only thing that would save us is if a foolish burglar broke in and took the matter out of our hands and put it into the hands of HIS grandchildren. And so it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legenyes Posted December 21, 2015 Report Share Posted December 21, 2015 For maintenance, you say? We're going to have to get creative here. How about not throwing them in the fire. That's maybe a little too much maintenance. I think Shar got it about right on the one fiddle, but frankly, not many would want to play it, and even restored it's not worth much as a wall hanging. The one with strings looks a little more like a violin to my eye. It's likely that it could be played, but I don't think anyone would want to play it. It would be very difficult and extremely expensive to get a competent repair. OK for a wall hanging. It's probably not worth the price of a new set of strings, but perhaps it could be used in a skit if someone needs to play a violin and destroy it. Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rinamy Posted December 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2015 Thanks for the laughs and advice, everyone I think we'll let sleeping dogs lie and just clean them up for display purposes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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