Old photo, any thoughts on who this maker is?

[J-G]

Thanks for that, Dwight.  A treasure trove of information about local builders here in B.C. way back in 1963, and their connections and horizons.  By coincidence, I just went through the 1958 issue a few weeks ago researching a good local builder called Martha Kozak who was active then.  These makers were serious about sharing and documenting their activities, a much more laborious process then than now.

[Dwight Brown]

I thought it might be useful even if there was no connection.  I liked the drawings of pegs.  Being a photography geek I am all in :-)

DLB

[Shelbow]

Brilliant info I love it. 

Lots of older bald men with glasses though, they all kind of look similar. 

[PhilipKT]

21 hours ago, Violadamore said:

I don't know how things are in Australia, but over here a tenured professor (or well-entrenched favored staff) could mostly do as they darned pleased with their assigned facilities.   IMHO, a great many have been "packrats". 

I remember, long ago, seeing a cartoon which makes me laugh to this day. The setting is a torture chamber, a young man in a white coat and glasses is changed to a wall. In the center of the room, standing over a brazier which contains a lot of instruments that are warming up, is a wild looking old man, also in a white coat and glasses, rubbing his hands and chortling,” Mad? MAD? Of COURSE I’m Mad!....But I have tenure.”

[Violadamore]

2 hours ago, PhilipKT said:

I remember, long ago, seeing a cartoon which makes me laugh to this day. The setting is a torture chamber, a young man in a white coat and glasses is changed to a wall. In the center of the room, standing over a brazier which contains a lot of instruments that are warming up, is a wild looking old man, also in a white coat and glasses, rubbing his hands and chortling,” Mad? MAD? Of COURSE I’m Mad!....But I have tenure.”

Yup, loved it, don't remember where I saw it either, but I suspect it was from Gary Larson. 

Haven't found it yet, but had fun hunting  : 

Oh, and for @Rue:

 

[Rue]

Tsk...the Bug Mafia, so dramatic...we just used ethyl acetate...

[Bill Yacey]

4 hours ago, Dwight Brown said:

https://violinmakersbc.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/violin-makers-journal-vol6-no4-june-july-1963.pdf

I did find this.  At least interesting and maybe has a lead in it.

DLB

W.A Gough was a contributor to that publication. I mentioned seeing his empty shop awhile back; apparently it's been demolished since.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/w-a-gough-violin-16th-avenue-harry-sanders-calgary-1.5293209

[Mystic]

Don’t think this is the guy, his hair is darker, but very interesting.

https://m.albertleatribune.com/2017/06/man-remembered-for-craftsmanship-2-violins-to-be-donated/

Edited July 10, 2020 by Mystic
Insert hyperlink

[TimRobinson]

On 7/8/2020 at 11:52 AM, Bill Yacey said:

Are you sure you're not looking at the belt / pulley guard on the drill press? I don't see any lamp, except the bare bulb above the drill press.

You are right, I've enlarged that section of the photo.  My mistake.

[TimRobinson]

On 7/8/2020 at 11:56 AM, Dwight Brown said:

The bare bulb may have been for making contact prints?

DLB

I have trouble with the idea of a combined workshop/darkroom.  In my BW days (which I want to return to in my retirement :-)) dust was always an issue.  Doesn't mean it could not be done, but strikes me as unlikely unless the room was no longer used as a workshop.

Tim

[TimRobinson]

On 7/8/2020 at 12:20 PM, Violadamore said:

I don't know how things are in Australia, but over here a tenured professor (or well-entrenched favored staff) could mostly do as they darned pleased with their assigned facilities.   IMHO, a great many have been "packrats". 

Certainly in the days of the "god professor" they were powerful people, but even then what they did had to have some connection to their area of expertise and there could still be problems.  Usually they were so obsessed by their research they had very little time for anything else.  Which bring me back to thinking that if the photo was taken in a educational institution of some sort, whatever was going on there was work related.  There are two bows on the stool in front of the 3 violins and music on the stands at the rear right.  The number of violins visible (5 by my count and the inscription which indicates at least 2 more) makes you think this was more than a disused room available for practice at lunchtime.

Tim

[Dwight Brown]

38 minutes ago, TimRobinson said:

I have trouble with the idea of a combined workshop/darkroom.  In my BW days (which I want to return to in my retirement :-)) dust was always an issue.  Doesn't mean it could not be done, but strikes me as unlikely unless the room was no longer used as a workshop.

Tim

That is an excellent point. I guess I was thinking he had kind of changed hobbies or something. But you are dead right dust in a darkroom will absolutely buy you a ticket to crazy town!

DLB