Argon55 Posted November 1, 2020 Report Share Posted November 1, 2020 I came across this violin (made in the UK, 1991) with a striped stain that I've seen on a few other violins. It seems to be differentially staining the dense wood in each tree ring and I assume it's done before the varnish is applied. Can somebody enlighten me about how it's done (i.e. what stain/ground/whatever) and why? Just aesthetic appearance or is there some other reason? I rather like it, though many may react to it like marmite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Noon Posted November 1, 2020 Report Share Posted November 1, 2020 Looks to me like a dark "patina" that is applied and wiped off, with residual that gets stuck in the low spots of the rippled grain. The ripple can be enhanced by using a dull scraper on the bare wood, and then applying hot water. This looks excessive to me... usually it develops naturally just in certain areas, like the chinrest. Or it looks like an old fiddle that had super-dark varnish that was refinished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argon55 Posted November 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2020 Thanks for that. Hadn't considered stain accumulating in ridges in the grain but that certainly makes sense. Strange though that this is probably the fourth violin with this pattern on it that I've seen in the last few years. Unfortunately I didn't take much notice of the ages or makers of the others but this one is definitely modern and British. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wood Butcher Posted November 2, 2020 Report Share Posted November 2, 2020 This type of darkened grain was quite often seen on Chinese violins from around 20 years ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argon55 Posted November 3, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2020 How interesting. If so, the violin is wrongly attributed (it's apparently by a relatively well-known English maker). But I've since had a look at other pics of this person's violins and they do have distinct similarities to the one I posted here. And the grain is distinct in them if not quite as pronounced. But then again, people fake things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wood Butcher Posted November 3, 2020 Report Share Posted November 3, 2020 A violin can’t be attributed from a close up of spruce. Many people will use the same technique all around the world, and it has been used for a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodacious Cowboy Posted November 4, 2020 Report Share Posted November 4, 2020 On 11/3/2020 at 6:32 PM, Argon55 said: How interesting. If so, the violin is wrongly attributed (it's apparently by a relatively well-known English maker). But I've since had a look at other pics of this person's violins and they do have distinct similarities to the one I posted here. And the grain is distinct in them if not quite as pronounced. But then again, people fake things. maker's name? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argon55 Posted November 6, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2020 On 11/4/2020 at 8:56 PM, Bodacious Cowboy said: maker's name? Sorry but it's not my violin. Let me get back to the owner for permission to put up the name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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