Violas at Bromptons

[uguntde]

Can I ask for several opinions at one time:

Frederick Daniel Mahoney - is he known to any one else? It looks interesting.

https://www.bromptons.co/auction/22nd-june-2020/lots/132-an-english-viola-by-frederick-daniel-mahoney-london-1937.html

 

The Bernardel viola (they had this already in the last auction): There are a lot of typical features but some are not Bernardel, the scroll is very untypical, and I hae never seen this varnish on an AS Bernardel. The edge work work of the front is also not typical, and the choice of wood for the front is irritating.

https://www.bromptons.co/auction/22nd-june-2020/lots/136-a-fine-french-viola-by-auguste-sebastien-bernardel-pere-paris-circa-1840.html

 

After Gaetano Chiocci: https://www.bromptons.co/auction/22nd-june-2020/lots/137-a-viola-after-gaetano-chiocchi.html

Looks interesting, but what is it really? Lots of repairs on this one.

 

 

[Three13]

1 hour ago, uguntde said:

Can I ask for several opinions at one time:

Frederick Daniel Mahoney - is he known to any one else? It looks interesting.

https://www.bromptons.co/auction/22nd-june-2020/lots/132-an-english-viola-by-frederick-daniel-mahoney-london-1937.html

I have a Frederick Daniel Mahoney violin - he worked for F.W. Chanot and the example that I own is a dead ringer for (that) Chanot in terms of model, wood choice and varnish. After a proper setup, it came out sounding very nice. Here's a link:

 

[martin swan]

12 hours ago, uguntde said:

Can I ask for several opinions at one time:

Frederick Daniel Mahoney - is he known to any one else? It looks interesting.

https://www.bromptons.co/auction/22nd-june-2020/lots/132-an-english-viola-by-frederick-daniel-mahoney-london-1937.html

 

The Bernardel viola (they had this already in the last auction): There are a lot of typical features but some are not Bernardel, the scroll is very untypical, and I hae never seen this varnish on an AS Bernardel. The edge work work of the front is also not typical, and the choice of wood for the front is irritating.

https://www.bromptons.co/auction/22nd-june-2020/lots/136-a-fine-french-viola-by-auguste-sebastien-bernardel-pere-paris-circa-1840.html

 

After Gaetano Chiocci: https://www.bromptons.co/auction/22nd-june-2020/lots/137-a-viola-after-gaetano-chiocchi.html

Looks interesting, but what is it really? Lots of repairs on this one.

 

 

Mahoney : this appear to have been stripped of its original varnish. If Three13's Mahoney is authentic (and I don't question it because it's so close to FW Chanot) then we might conclude that this is by a different maker since it has no shared features as far as I can tell. Either that or Mahoney decided to abandon his roots and move into copy work

ASP Bernardel : a bit surprised at the date but otherwise looks to me to be very consistent with this maker in the 1820s. The scroll has lost most of its inking which changes the appearance significantly. The choice of wood for the front doesn't irritate me at all, in fact I would consider it an excellent starting point for a small viola. Many great sounding instruments have been made with wide grained spruce, but maybe your aesthetic concerns triumph over the desire for sound.

After Gaetano Chiocchi : looks like a relatively modern instrument - I would think the worm was already in the wood chosen for the back. I don't see any repairs, just a lot of antiqueing ...

[Delabo]

1 hour ago, martin swan said:

Mahoney : this appear to have been stripped of its original varnish

And yet still estimated at £6 - 8 K.

What would it have been worth with original varnish ?

[uguntde]

On 6/11/2020 at 11:45 AM, martin swan said:

Mahoney : this appear to have been stripped of its original varnish. If Three13's Mahoney is authentic (and I don't question it because it's so close to FW Chanot) then we might conclude that this is by a different maker since it has no shared features as far as I can tell. Either that or Mahoney decided to abandon his roots and move into copy work

ASP Bernardel : a bit surprised at the date but otherwise looks to me to be very consistent with this maker in the 1820s. The scroll has lost most of its inking which changes the appearance significantly. The choice of wood for the front doesn't irritate me at all, in fact I would consider it an excellent starting point for a small viola. Many great sounding instruments have been made with wide grained spruce, but maybe your aesthetic concerns triumph over the desire for sound.

After Gaetano Chiocchi : looks like a relatively modern instrument - I would think the worm was already in the wood chosen for the back. I don't see any repairs, just a lot of antiqueing ...

The Bernardel disappeared some time during the auction.Can they do this, just withdraw?

I assume the owners changed their mind or there was doubt whether it was genuine.

 

[Three13]

They’ve withdrawn a few things. Seems like something’s up.

[Shelbow]

It was a bit odd that sale, new items being listed all the time during the auction. 

[matesic]

The "Pellegrina" viola pomposa is still up for offers. Apparently it was a traditional Welsh instrument used to accompany bardic recitations at the Eisteddfod. Or was that a crwth..?

[ldakty]

22 hours ago, uguntde said:

The Bernardel disappeared some time during the auction.Can they do this, just withdraw?

I assume the owners changed their mind or there was doubt whether it was genuine.

 

I noticed that as well. The Bernardel disappeared in the morning of the sale day, a few hours before the Auction was due to start ... let's see if it comes back in a future auction!

Edited June 25, 2020 by ldakty
excuse my bad spelling