SingingTree Tonewood Posted November 5, 2021 Report Posted November 5, 2021 I was fortunate to find this beauty for a reasonable price. 1952, it's the latest one I have owned. Fine workmanship, and it actually sounds quite good! I have a question for those of you who know these, I have owned many and read everything I can find on him, but second serial number perplexes me. I wonder if the #2977 is the number he personally made and the #7275 is the entire output of his "Violin Factory". I can't imagine there were that many, or I would have seen many more than I hae. Thoughts?
Brad Dorsey Posted November 6, 2021 Report Posted November 6, 2021 2 hours ago, SingingTree Tonewood said: ...I wonder if the #2977 is the number he personally made and the #7275 is the entire output of his "Violin Factory". I can't imagine there were that many, or I would have seen many more than I ha[v]e. Thoughts? The Wilkinowskis that I have had have also had high serial numbers. Regarding how many he made, Wenberg says: "Made first instrument in 1895. Was making violins on a regular basis by 1903....Made a very large number of violins, violas and guitars. Worked alone. however, he did have several mechanical assistants."
Strad O Various Jr. Posted November 6, 2021 Report Posted November 6, 2021 Didn't he have assistants in Markneukirchen/Schoenbach
SingingTree Tonewood Posted November 6, 2021 Author Report Posted November 6, 2021 As far as I know, he had assistants at his New York violin "factory". A lot of his lesser fiddles were machine carved by them I think.
Violadamore Posted November 6, 2021 Report Posted November 6, 2021 https://tarisio.com/cozio-archive/cozio-carteggio/william-wilkanowski/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilkanowski
Shelbow Posted November 6, 2021 Report Posted November 6, 2021 3 minutes ago, Violadamore said: https://tarisio.com/cozio-archive/cozio-carteggio/william-wilkanowski/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilkanowski Quite a sad ending really. What I like about his output is how easy his work is to recognise. The outline, the details and the wood choice are all very distinctive.
SingingTree Tonewood Posted November 6, 2021 Author Report Posted November 6, 2021 11 minutes ago, Violadamore said: https://tarisio.com/cozio-archive/cozio-carteggio/william-wilkanowski/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilkanowski The number of violins by him in the Wiki article by 1952, does not jibe with the serial number of my fiddle. Also mine is a 1952, the year his with died, and he supposedly stopped making, but there is a 1954 for sale right now. "Some of the higher quality violins were marked with an inlayed logo of the stylized letter W; these instruments are thought to be entirely of his own making, while many of the others were made in the shops with assistants."
Evan Smith Posted November 6, 2021 Report Posted November 6, 2021 Some beautiful things here, https://gretsch.forumactif.com/t765-w-wilkanowski-gretsch-violin-and-guitar
Brad Dorsey Posted November 6, 2021 Report Posted November 6, 2021 11 hours ago, Shelbow said: ...how easy his work is to recognise... The W on the back is the most obvious feature, but not all his violins have them. The other detail that I find the most distinctive is the awkward way the plate arching doesn't blend into the corners. I have seen this on instruments that he made for Oliver Ditson in the 1920s and on later instruments made in the 1950s. I have seen violins without a W or a label that were obviously his, confirmed by his signature on the inside of the top. 11 hours ago, SingingTree Tonewood said: ...mine is a 1952, the year his with died, and he supposedly stopped making, but there is a 1954 for sale right now... I have seen instruments of his dated in the mid-1950s.
stringcheese Posted November 6, 2021 Report Posted November 6, 2021 I have one at the moment dated 1952m serial number 2821. The other number on the end of the label is 7273. No idea what the numbers indicate.
SingingTree Tonewood Posted November 6, 2021 Author Report Posted November 6, 2021 5 hours ago, Brad Dorsey said: The W on the back is the most obvious feature, but not all his violins have them. The other detail that I find the most distinctive is the awkward way the plate arching doesn't blend into the corners. I have seen this on instruments that he made for Oliver Ditson in the 1920s and on later instruments made in the 1950s. I have seen violins without a W or a label that were obviously his, confirmed by his signature on the inside of the top. I have seen instruments of his dated in the mid-1950s. For a long time, I thought the W purfling signified his personal hand, rather than his crew, and I still do, but I have seen many he made with no W. They tend to have a different varnish, more like the modern Italians of the time. In think later in the 20's he developed his characteristic varnish, which is always reddish or a dark golden color and they are not antiqued at all. Here is a 1932 with the early varnish,
Jeny Mahon Posted November 6, 2021 Report Posted November 6, 2021 I found this one on eBay in about 2006 then sold it on Tarisio in 2010. They estimated it was c. 1930. https://tarisio.com/cozio-archive/property/?ID=20810
Roman Noble Posted November 8, 2021 Report Posted November 8, 2021 Finally found another owner of a fine Wilkanowski. I have one dated 1944 with #1436”. It doesn't have a second number. Hope that helps.
Roman Noble Posted November 8, 2021 Report Posted November 8, 2021 On 11/6/2021 at 8:42 AM, Brad Dorsey said: The W on the back is the most obvious feature, but not all his violins have them. The other detail that I find the most distinctive is the awkward way the plate arching doesn't blend into the corners. I have seen this on instruments that he made for Oliver Ditson in the 1920s and on later instruments made in the 1950s. I have seen violins without a W or a label that were obviously his, confirmed by his signature on the inside of the top. I have seen instruments of his dated in the mid-1950s. I read the "W" on the back means the violin was actually made by him. Don't know where the reference is from, but I do recall that was the case.
J-G Posted November 8, 2021 Report Posted November 8, 2021 On 11/5/2021 at 8:59 PM, Evan Smith said: Some beautiful things here, https://gretsch.forumactif.com/t765-w-wilkanowski-gretsch-violin-and-guitar Yes indeed, lots to look at there! Thank you, Evan.
Rogerst Posted August 7, 2024 Report Posted August 7, 2024 (edited) Hello, I wonder if anyone knows how the signature of William Wilkanowski looks like? I recently bought an old violin (I think early 20th century), on a french antique market. It has no label, but a signature inside. It looks like "Wi" or just a "W". I added a photo and tried to copy the signature myself and added it too. Thanks for any comment! Edited August 7, 2024 by Rogerst
Ron1 Posted August 8, 2024 Report Posted August 8, 2024 The second, higher number on his label (#7275 on the op's instrument) was his model number of the instrument.
Brad Dorsey Posted August 8, 2024 Report Posted August 8, 2024 15 hours ago, Rogerst said: …I wonder if anyone knows [what] the signature of William Wilkanowski looks like?… I have seen unlabeled Wilkanowskis that were signed on the inside of the top, but I don’t remember what the signatures looked like. I have a better idea of what his plate corners look like. Could you put up a close-up picture something like this: (This is not a Wilkanowski.)
IBK Posted August 8, 2024 Report Posted August 8, 2024 It is my theory that some of the serial numbers on Wilkanowski violins indicate which ones were sold through Gretsch. They were a major distributor of his instruments. He also sold instruments directly from his shop in Brooklyn which may or may not have had serial numbers. During the 2nd WW he also manufactured violins for Meisel under the Carlo Micelli name and for Metropolitan Music with the Juzek label and well as for other wholesale distributors. He was a major supplier of high end violins at a time when European violins were not available here in the US.
Rogerst Posted August 8, 2024 Report Posted August 8, 2024 Thank you very much for your reply! I attached some additional photos, also from the plate corner as you asked Brad. Curious on another reply. Best regards, Roger
jacobsaunders Posted August 8, 2024 Report Posted August 8, 2024 53 minutes ago, Rogerst said: Thank you very much for your reply! I attached some additional photos, also from the plate corner as you asked Brad. Curious on another reply. Best regards, Roger Looks like a straightforward Schönbach box
Rogerst Posted August 8, 2024 Report Posted August 8, 2024 Thank you very much Jacob! Interesting! I added 2 extra pictures from the box.
IBK Posted August 8, 2024 Report Posted August 8, 2024 1 hour ago, Rogerst said: Thank you very much for your reply! I attached some additional photos, also from the plate corner as you asked Brad. Curious on another reply. Best regards, Roger Judging from the pattern and wood selection, this is not a Wilkanowski
Brad Dorsey Posted August 8, 2024 Report Posted August 8, 2024 The top corner does not scream “Wilkanowski” at me, and I think that Wilkanowskis tend to have one-piece backs. Maybe always? But I’m just looking at details, which is often not very helpful. If Jacob says it’s Schonbach, I have no doubt that it is.
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