Newest addition to my family... Saxon?

[ClefLover]

Hello, I’ve had this for a little bit of time, but thought I would share.  It was traded for 2 pups out of a litter.  Since puppies are priceless, I believe that makes this violin priceless  Oh well, looks a bit Saxon to me.  Thought I would share!  Tried to get a shot of a corner block, but didn’t quite work out.  

[martin swan]

I quite like this.

built on the back but a one-piece front ...

?

[PhilipKT]

Does the top pin on the back mean the neck has been removed?

And what does the bottom pin indicate?

Or do the two pins indicate a BOB construction?

Pretty violin, either way.

[martin swan]

probably later additions to make the violin look like it was made on an inside mold

[PhilipKT]

I’ve never seen a one piece top. Is there an acoustical reason for splitting the top?

[Blank face]

It's heartbreaking to trade a puppy for a violin. But two puppies for one violin?

[jacklinks]

36 minutes ago, Blank face said:

It's heartbreaking to trade a puppy for a violin. But two puppies for one violin?

= 2X Priceless Violin.  

Nice violin. How does it sound?

[martin swan]

51 minutes ago, PhilipKT said:

I’ve never seen a one piece top. Is there an acoustical reason for splitting the top?

Don't think so ... though there may be a prejudice in favour of 2 pieces for the sake of symmetry.

You find one-piece tops on violins from many different schools - English, Mittenwald, Italy. If you have great wood from large slow grown trees, it's a bit of a waste of effort to make a 2-piece top.

[mathieu valde]

I've seen top from one piece , it was made by Remy. Maybe French?

 

[Rue]

I also thought it looked really nice!  I'm glad everyone else thinks so too!  My MN education must be paying off! 

I'm also coveting your piano...

BTW...how does it sound?  And what kind of puppies?  How old?

[ClefLover]

1 hour ago, Blank face said:

It's heartbreaking to trade a puppy for a violin. But two puppies for one violin?

There were 6 in the litter, we had to find homes for them.  Siblings to one family sounded perfect.  We weren’t looking to sell the pups, just find them homes, but when they offered an old fiddle, I couldn’t resist.  

[ClefLover]

51 minutes ago, Rue said:

I also thought it looked really nice!  I'm glad everyone else thinks so too!  My MN education must be paying off! 

I'm also coveting your piano...

BTW...how does it sound?  And what kind of puppies?  How old?

It just has old strings on it at the moment. I will find out more when I string it up with something nice.  

The pups were Yorkie Poos (a very large litter indeed).  8 sleep-deprived weeks until we started finding them homes. 

[Rue]

Let us know how it sounds!

And a puppy picture would be welcome too! 

[Blank face]

22 minutes ago, ClefLover said:

There were 6 in the litter, we had to find homes for them.  Siblings to one family sounded perfect.  We weren’t looking to sell the pups, just find them homes, but when they offered an old fiddle, I couldn’t resist.  

Oh, this sounds different - you found a home for the puppies and were rewarded with a violin.

I can't see if the scroll is grafted, if it has a through neck or just morticed into the block. The front scroll fluting looks very deeply carved, is it till the very end of the throat or stopping before?

[ClefLover]

Yes, carved to the bitter end.  The scroll is grafted as well.  I am out of town for business now until next Wednesday, but can photograph more at that point if interested, or ask my wife to.  Oh, and: 

 

[Rue]

Awwww!!!! 

[Blank face]

I'm wondering if it's a sort of Furber school (the violin). Some of the British members might know better.

[martin swan]

looks English to me ... but outside of the bigger names i'm a bit lost. I think I might be tempted to call it "Duke School".

[PhilipKT]

Speaking of one piece tops...

and this allegedly Italian violin also has a one piece back. I know nothing but I’m skeptical.

 

 

[Delabo]

Are there any clues as to how to date this violin ?

It looks like it was purchased and left in its case. It has little wear. Are we to presume the varnish is original ?

The scroll appears to be grafted, but it has something like Roth Caspari mechanical tunings pegs, and gives  no indication as to whether the pegs were ever bushed. Unless the experts had not already suggested circa 1800 I would have assumed it was 20th century.

Is it style ? Wood choice ? varnish ? One piece top ?

[Ratcliffiddles]

11 hours ago, Blank face said:

I'm wondering if it's a sort of Furber school (the violin). Some of the British members might know better.

I thought Furber when I saw the scroll, but I think the rest doesn't stand up to that.  Are linings smooth, as opposed to "with and angle" clean or not.  Not usual to see one-piece tops on Furbers, and rarely that type which looks possibly of Swiss or Mittenwald provenance, although of course, possible.

I am still wondering whether it is a quirky French 1820s'/ 30s, although with these funny corners, it might well be English

[ClefLover]

3 hours ago, Delabo said:

Are there any clues as to how to date this violin ?

It looks like it was purchased and left in its case. It has little wear. Are we to presume the varnish is original ?

The scroll appears to be grafted, but it has something like Roth Caspari mechanical tunings pegs, and gives  no indication as to whether the pegs were ever bushed. Unless the experts had not already suggested circa 1800 I would have assumed it was 20th century.

Is it style ? Wood choice ? varnish ? One piece top ?

No idea on the varnish... It does have a set of more original pegs in the case.  

[ClefLover]

2 hours ago, Ratcliffiddles said:

I thought Furber when I saw the scroll, but I think the rest doesn't stand up to that.  Are linings smooth, as opposed to "with and angle" clean or not.  Not usual to see one-piece tops on Furbers, and rarely that type which looks possibly of Swiss or Mittenwald provenance, although of course, possible.

I am still wondering whether it is a quirky French 1820s'/ 30s, although with these funny corners, it might well be English

I will try to get a clear picture of the linings when I’m back from the road.  

[Delabo]

23 hours ago, PhilipKT said:

Does the top pin on the back mean the neck has been removed?

And what does the bottom pin indicate?

Or do the two pins indicate a BOB construction?

Pretty violin, either way.

The pins appear to be ebony,or perhaps stained wood of some description,and can sometimes be seen on French violins. On a violin made using the "build on the back" (BOB) method of construction they serve no useful function. Stradivarius made his violins on an inside mold, and used "positioning pins" as part of the construction process. But in contrast to these pins, which are black, and of a large diameter, and stand out, his pins were white and partially hidden under the purfling. So to sum up,these pins were put in to make the violin look better than it actually is - a decorative feature.

[PhilipKT]

12 minutes ago, Delabo said:

The pins appear to be ebony,or perhaps stained wood of some description,and can sometimes be seen on French violins. On a violin made using the "build on the back" (BOB) method of construction they serve no useful function. Stradivarius made his violins on an inside mold, and used "positioning pins" as part of the construction process. But in contrast to these pins, which are black, and of a large diameter, and stand out, his pins were white and partially hidden under the purfling. So to sum up,these pins were put in to make the violin look better than it actually is - a decorative feature.

Thank you very much for the information, I appreciate it. I am familiar with the concept of “guide pins”, but I don’t really understand why they would need to be so visible. If I understand you correctly these are Just decorative.