Looking for help identifying 91 year old Grammas Violin

[MrsGunderson]

Today my 91 year old Grandma gave me her old Violin inside a case with 2 bows and asked me to find out what I could, she doesn’t remember much about the Violin anymore. She did say she played it last over 30 years ago but when she played, she played, she was a hippie. A few things, I know nothing about Violins, there isn’t a label in the Violin, it’s well loved. Inside the case I found what I think was the original bridge? It has DRESDEN carved/stamped into the wood. There is a bag full of wood pegs she had previously used. One of the bows looks to be Ebony with some type of pearly shell and is stamped DODD. The other is very similar but has a circular dot on the side of the ducky? and is stamped B & S Stienman, I think. Aside from that, there were Heisel (sp) Replacement Strings, some Rosin and a product made by W.E Hill. The body is 14 inches and with the head it measures approximately 24”

Thank you for any information and help!

Michelle

 

[Wood Butcher]

I think you have a student grade Czechoslovakian violin, but the scroll makes me wonder if it is a replacement from something else, due to being made of beech. The fingerboard is not Ebony.

The bow stamped Dodd, is not made by Dodd. It’s just a later commercial German bow stamped with his name.
The other bow appears to be a brazilwood student bow. Both are nickel mounted.

[jacobsaunders]

A cheap mid 20th C. Schönbach (Czech) school outfit in a state of repair, that any remedial work would not be viable

[Mat Roop]

18 hours ago, jacobsaunders said:

A cheap mid 20th C. Schönbach (Czech) school outfit in a state of repair, that any remedial work would not be viable

True for commercial value... but ... It was "well loved" so it has huge irreplaceable sentimental value. Although it has a split peg box and a real questionable neck root, I would venture to make it playable keeping its wrinkles, scars and bruises . The bows need a rehair and new grip on one. All in all a $5-700 investment to make a wonderful and playable keepsake in memory of a dear hippie grandma. ... Cheers, Mat

[jacobsaunders]

4 hours ago, Mat Roop said:

True for commercial value... but ... It was "well loved" so it has huge irreplaceable sentimental value. Although it has a split peg box and a real questionable neck root, I would venture to make it playable keeping its wrinkles, scars and bruises . The bows need a rehair and new grip on one. All in all a $5-700 investment to make a wonderful and playable keepsake in memory of a dear hippie grandma. ... Cheers, Mat

I only appraise violins, not grandmothers

[Violadamore]

10 hours ago, jacobsaunders said:

I only appraise violins, not grandmothers

Extremely wise of you. 

[MrsGunderson]

15 hours ago, Mat Roop said:

True for commercial value... but ... It was "well loved" so it has huge irreplaceable sentimental value. Although it has a split peg box and a real questionable neck root, I would venture to make it playable keeping its wrinkles, scars and bruises . The bows need a rehair and new grip on one. All in all a $5-700 investment to make a wonderful and playable keepsake in memory of a dear hippie grandma. ... Cheers, Mat

Thank you Mat, I do want to keep it. I just wanted to find out some more information. My Grandmother has had the violin since she was a child, so the violin is at least as old as she is. It would be great to be able to pass on some information to my children and future generations. I found a MADE IN GERMANY stamped in the metal on one of the bows and on the hard case it says Made in Germany, not sure if that matters. My grandfather worked with wood, I will have to ask my grandma if she can remember any repairs. Sometimes her memory is good other times not so much. I will try to take some better photos. 

Glad you all don’t appraise Grandma’s, mine would be pretty difficult to appraise… to me she is priceless.

Thank you so much,

Michelle

St.Albert, Alberta
 

[Brad Dorsey]

“Made in Germany” on the bow and the case tells where the bow and the case were made; it says nothing about where the violin was made.  But we can tell from your pictures that the violin was obviously made in Germany, or perhaps some nearby Germanic region.

[keilaxc7]

it looks like that it was made in Germany. Salute to your grandma for taking care of this piece, this model was pure hand made no machinery work done in it. See how at that time they built it even they don't have proper tools at that time like saws and router tables to plain and cut the wood to give a shape but they have made a quality product appreciated.

[Gtone]

9 minutes ago, keilaxc7 said:

it looks like that it was made in Germany. Salute to your grandma for taking care of this piece, this model was pure hand made no machinery work done in it. See how at that time they built it even they don't have proper tools at that time like saws and router tables to plain and cut the wood to give a shape but they have made a quality product appreciated.

yes definitely puts Antonio to shame

[MrsGunderson]

On 10/13/2021 at 3:11 PM, Brad Dorsey said:

“Made in Germany” on the bow and the case tells where the bow and the case were made; it says nothing about where the violin was made.  But we can tell from your pictures that the violin was obviously made in Germany, or perhaps some nearby Germanic region.

I figured as much but thought I would mention it.

[MrsGunderson]

38 minutes ago, keilaxc7 said:

it looks like that it was made in Germany. Salute to your grandma for taking care of this piece, this model was pure hand made no machinery work done in it. See how at that time they built it even they don't have proper tools at that time like saws and router tables to plain and cut the wood to give a shape but they have made a quality product appreciated.

Thank you, it is definitely well loved. I forgot to ask her if my Grandfather ever fixed anything on it as he was a wood-worker but he made furniture.