P J Lester Posted May 9, 2021 Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 Hello All, Can anyone help with the identification of this violin? It has a paper label within which is unfortunately indecipherable. Thankyou kindly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilipKT Posted May 9, 2021 Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 The varnish looks very German, but I can’t narrow it down anymore than that. You’ll get a lot of good information here though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violadamore Posted May 9, 2021 Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 Maybe. The lack of any sign of purfling is complicating things for me, and @pipper needs to add lower rib, and back-of-scroll views. I'd like to see what Jacob S. and Blankie think, too, and Martin as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted May 9, 2021 Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 Why does this violin look so familiar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violadamore Posted May 9, 2021 Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 @pipper, let's see that paper label anyway, check what you can see of the inside surfaces for any markings, and try to get some lining/block shots, please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobsaunders Posted May 9, 2021 Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 2 hours ago, Violadamore said: The lack of any sign of purfling is complicating things for me, Does it? I find that hard to judge from out of focus pictures I presume that it i a late 19th C Markneukirchen area "Dutzendarneit", although I would wish some sharper pictures to telln for certain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin swan Posted May 9, 2021 Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 The purfling is pretty visible where the varnish isn't too think ie. top right of the table. Rib corners are in line with the table corners ergo ... what Jacob said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeH Posted May 9, 2021 Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 1 hour ago, martin swan said: The purfling is pretty visible where the varnish isn't too think ie. top right of the table. Also top right bout of the back. The purfling appears to have very thin black strips, if they are present at all. Not very Markneukirchen-like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin swan Posted May 9, 2021 Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 I could be mistaken, but on the table I would expect to see those very strong grain lines in the spruce travelling through if it was merely inked ... Everything else about the violin looks late 19thC MK/Sch to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeH Posted May 9, 2021 Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 1 minute ago, martin swan said: I could be mistaken, but on the table I would expect to see those very strong grain lines in the spruce travelling through if it was merely inked ... Everything else about the violin looks late 19thC MK/Sch to me. I agree the purfling is real (not inked nor etched); I am just used to seeing thicker black strips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobsaunders Posted May 9, 2021 Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 A bit like looking for a black cat in a dark room, isn't it. Doesn't change what the violin is anway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin swan Posted May 9, 2021 Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 For me this wouldn't be a deciding factor - wide and rather pale blacks would point towards Markenukirchen, but an absence of them wouldn't necessarily point away ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violadamore Posted May 9, 2021 Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 Thanks, everybody. Last night I just gave it a quick squint, and missed the exposed purfling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P J Lester Posted May 10, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 Thanks for the comments. I hope these photos may assist. I do not imagine this is a valuable violin monetarily but it certainly is in regards to It's exceptionally good tone. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobsaunders Posted May 10, 2021 Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 Thanks for the new better pictures, which confirm my original opinion (above) @VdA nice purfling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spelman Posted May 10, 2021 Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 Was this fiddle in a fire? Is that why there is black stuff all over it that looks like someone may have tried to scrape off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobsaunders Posted May 10, 2021 Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 40 minutes ago, Spelman said: Was this fiddle in a fire? Is that why there is black stuff all over it that looks like someone may have tried to scrape off? It's called varnish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted May 10, 2021 Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 Of the "black" violins I've seen pictures of, this example looks like natural wear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sospiri Posted May 10, 2021 Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 3 hours ago, jacobsaunders said: It's called varnish Or paint which someone tried to scrape off to get to the real varnish underneath? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted May 10, 2021 Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 No. There was a time the "black" varnish was popular. Possibly some darkened even more over time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spelman Posted May 11, 2021 Report Share Posted May 11, 2021 7 hours ago, jacobsaunders said: It's called varnish Ah, thanks for the clarification. I thought it was merely called f--ked up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gottawonder Posted May 11, 2021 Report Share Posted May 11, 2021 Am I correct in thinking that some grain reversal is visible on the table? Would that be something to be expected with such a dark varnish, or would it rather be considered a mistake? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sospiri Posted May 11, 2021 Report Share Posted May 11, 2021 17 hours ago, Rue said: No. There was a time the "black" varnish was popular. Possibly some darkened even more over time? Yes, but.. 14 hours ago, Spelman said: Ah, thanks for the clarification. I thought it was merely called f--ked up. The black stuff is fugly. And it obliterates the On 5/10/2021 at 7:18 AM, jacobsaunders said: nice purfling The varnish underneath is nice too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted May 11, 2021 Report Share Posted May 11, 2021 BassClef is (was?) a fan of the 'black' finish. If you look up those discussions, there will be a bit more information available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobsaunders Posted May 11, 2021 Report Share Posted May 11, 2021 The varnish on the OP violin is a bog standard finish that one can see often on cheap “Dutzendarbeiten”, and certainly nothing worthy of any long dissertation or discussion. The dark varnish that Bass Clef likes, is more the sort prevalent in Vienna and many other Füssen diaspora regions from about 1730 until about 1815 and is of an entirely superior nature Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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