Garth E. Posted August 16, 2020 Report Share Posted August 16, 2020 I think to be able to examine an old violin and have an idea when it was made requires a lot of skill and experience. As I truly enjoy studying 18thc violins it makes sense that I learn as much as I can about how to identify clues that might help with the identifying process. I particularly enjoy photos of unrestored 18thc. violins as all the scars of 200+ years reveal a lot about its past. I always hope there is a undiscovered inscription somewhere that can only add to the interest. So I'm learning, and I've learned a great deal from asking a lot of questions here and finding this forum to be an incredibly positive experience. I would really appreciate any photos of unrestored 18thc. violins that you have in storage waiting to be restored. The more I can study and learn about them, the more I'll be able to contribute here. The photo is my mid 18thc. French school in need of restoration. However I do like it just the way it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobsaunders Posted August 16, 2020 Report Share Posted August 16, 2020 As a rule of thumb, people invariably estimate their violins/bows to be older than they really are. As a case in point, I seriously doubt that your fiddle is “mid 18th.C”, rather possibly after 1800 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deans Posted August 16, 2020 Report Share Posted August 16, 2020 33 minutes ago, Garth E. said: However I do like it just the way it is. Cant play it out of tune. Sometimes its good to leave some mystery as to what it sounds like.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garth E. Posted August 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2020 On 8/16/2020 at 11:14 AM, jacobsaunders said: As a rule of thumb, people invariably estimate their violins/bows to be older than they really are I don't doubt anything you say Jacob, however I didn't estimate the age, I had several knowledgeable members here help me out a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garth E. Posted August 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2020 This thread was very helpful in learning a little about my violin. Also an education for me in how to photograph and display for identification. I am very grateful for the experts help. https://maestronet.com/forum/index.php?/topic/346314-is-this-exclusive-to-a-particular-maker/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiddleDoug Posted August 16, 2020 Report Share Posted August 16, 2020 "I think to be able to examine an old violin and have an idea when it was made requires a lot of skill and experience." You're right there! I Once asked a real Master if there were any books or references (photos, etc) that could help me to get really good at identifying old violins. He pretty much said 'No. The only good way to do it is to go back about 5 decades, work in the best shops in the country, under the real Masters, handle thousands of violins, and absorb everything.' I've taken that to heart, and will always defer to real Masters, with decades more experience than I have. I think that you're in the same boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garth E. Posted August 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2020 2 hours ago, FiddleDoug said: I've taken that to heart, and will always defer to real Masters, with decades more experience than I have. I think that you're in the same boat. There are quite a few masters here, I try to tred softly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andreas Preuss Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 Dating instruments is the most vague of assumptions, especially if you don't know to which school or city the instrument belongs to. On the background that you know precisely the school, dating can be more accurate if you have examined many instruments from different periods in the same school. Otherwise people refer more often to dendrochronolgy, but this doesn't work when a maker used 100 year old wood. (So probably best for instruments before 1800) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garth E. Posted August 17, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 1 hour ago, Andreas Preuss said: On the background that you know precisely the school, dating can be more accurate if you have examined many instruments from different periods in the same school. Many members here have contributed some very interesting opinions relative to the violin in the photo. That gives me the opportunity to learn a few things about different violins and to maybe unlock the story behind what I now believe is an old French school instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blank face Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 The way of construction (ribs inserted in a groove), the scroll and some other features made us assume that it's from the French school roughly late 18th century. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deans Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 Does it lack linings? Just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blank face Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 12 minutes ago, deans said: Does it lack linings? Just curious. You can check all details in the linked thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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