gryffynda Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154923840977662&set=pcb.10154923841412662&type=3&theater Interested in opinions on who may have made this violin. Acquired from a horse trader circa 1950s/60s in Idaho. Fake labeled JB Guad. Came with tattered Lyon and Healy "certificate of authenticity". May have had some connection to Weisshaar in L.A. Beautiful dark viola-like sound. Rather heavy fiddle. Suggested by Bill Moennig that it might have been made by Sgarabotto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Holmes Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 gryffynda; Please don't put posts up multiple times. You're still under the new member status. Your posts must be approved before they are visible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin swan Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 This looks nice! I recently had a Bisiach Shop violin circa 1920 with a Guad label which initially I thought was Gaetano Sgarobotto, but which Eric Blot thought was more likely Ferrucio Varagnolo. It shared some features of your violin, though the scroll was quite different and it was more obviously a fake Guadagnini. I would be interested to see clearer photos of the front and back - also do you have the measurements, back length, and across the upper and lower bouts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gryffynda Posted August 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 Sorry about the multiple posts! I thought my earlier ones did not go through (somehow I had the idea they would show up in my content as present but not yet approved). Martin, would I need some kind of caliper to measure the violin? Or can I use a tape measure? I'm going to take some additional pictures now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin swan Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 A tape measure would be fine .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gryffynda Posted August 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 Sorry to be dense, but do I measure from under the neck button? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin swan Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 Yes, just place one end of the tape on the edge of the back by the button, and measure to the bottom edge just above the tailpin. Buttons vary in size in ways which don't relate to anything in particular, so you need to exclude that part ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gryffynda Posted August 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 354mm back, upper bout 165mm, lower bout 205mm (if I'm measuring correctly). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gryffynda Posted August 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 I have added pics but I think you have to actually go to the post to see the additional pics, which should be the first thing on my page: http://www.facebook.com/jean.petree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin swan Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 Ok this one is a bit beyond me! It seems to be a "rough & ready" interpretation of a Guadagnini, and I do think it could have something to do with the Bisiach Shop and their backroom work, but there's just not enough detail in the photos. Definitely worth taking it to a proper appraiser. Measurements are nice, not too big ... Perhaps Jeffrey can suggest someone local to you who could give a proper opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gryffynda Posted August 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 I was wondering about the maker Orfeo Carletti - wasn't he obsessed with copying Guadagninis? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gryffynda Posted August 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 To my untrained eye, it looks kind of similar to this violin: http://www.bromptons.co/auction/2nd-november-2015/lots/251-a-very-interesting-violin-after-g-b-guadagnini.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin swan Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 Well, corners and f-holes are rather different, and the scroll is very different - on yours the pegbox profile is much wider as it arrives at the volute. To me your violin looks rawer (though not unattractive ...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gryffynda Posted August 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 Interesting -- I had never really thought of this violin as raw, probably because I found it attractive and I was used to seeing it at home all my life. But I see your point -- there is a kind of roughness that goes beyond just the cracks/repairs that were made. Like the purfling kind of smushes out into the corners, and the scroll turn is sort of elongated on one side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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