Violin identification help please.

[MichaelCalgary]

Good day everybody,

 

I would appreciate ANY help possible since my initial research have not yielded any leads. I am stuck as to the best possible research tools for my mini project.

 

This is a strange but true story. I will make it short so as not to waste anybody’s time.

 

My Dad purchased this violin in the 1960’s in Moscow, USSR. In order to take it out of the country he had to get rid of the label so as to make sure it looks like a factory-made violin. Over the years he forgot what the label said and the original price paid. The only thing that he does repeat again and again is that it was a French master. So, maybe the original label had a French sounding name.

 

I came across some articles on French violin makers. However, none of the images I have seen compare to the violin in question.

 

It has a single panel on the back. Not two panels. It does have a carved scroll. My Dad is saying that it is a larger violin in size but NOT a viola.

 

It does have a very beautiful sound.

 

I am NOT a professional musician. So, my apologies if the above description are in layman’s terms.

 

Thank you.

Edited April 19, 2020 by MichaelCalgary
misspelling

[antero]

Nice violin, particularly I like the back wood.

Seems German to me, but reason why more knowledgeable people may be reluctant to react, is that they don't see details they would like to. Angled views are not very helpful. There is a thread somewhere up, how to photograph for ID purposes. You might start from measuring the length of body (without button).

[Blank face]

This is clearly a Markneukirchen or Schönbach made violin, as it is identifiable at the pinched rib corners and other features. This doesn't mean that your Dad didn't buy it with a faked french label inside or was cheated in another way.

The tell tale "The original French/Italian label was necessarily to be removed when smuggling this valuable violin out of the GDR (or other countries behind the iron curtain" is a very common topic of violin crooks here in Germany, too, so it mustn't be regarded.

Another violin with a similar, a bit less distinct pegbox decoration was discussed recently here

 

[deans]

33 minutes ago, Blank face said:

The tell tale "The original French/Italian label was necessarily to be removed when smuggling this valuable violin out of the GDR (or other countries behind the iron curtain" is a very common topic of violin crooks here in Germany, too, so it mustn't be regarded.

Similar stories in the US too. Still a decent trade instrument to own. I'd much rather have a regular pegbox though

[Jwillis]

Agreed it is a nicer looking trade fiddle to my eye.  I like to look of the scroll. Someone spent more time on it 

[MichaelCalgary]

I really appreciate the responses. I will correct my mistake, I will take proper pictures as per the instructions and will upload them later on today. Thank you again. At some point I thought NOBODY would respond.

[MichaelCalgary]

Hopefully better pictures. Thank you.

[antero]

 

On ‎4‎/‎24‎/‎2020 at 7:10 PM, MichaelCalgary said:

At some point I thought NOBODY would respond

I know the feeling ..., but ask again, and somebody would !

I like it! Strangely, I don't see the rib corners in new pictures so clearly, but still only can agree with BF comment and the scroll fluting (in the context of Mkn-Schn) is pointing to workshop(s) that have been discussed here before, if I am not mistaken (?)