Interesting American Fiddle Identification

[Chai]

Hi, could anyone possibly shed some light on this interesting looking American fiddle? What is it worth?

Label reads "Regraduated by A.H Tyler, Violin Maker, 1920 Rocky Hill, CT. 1971 refinished G.G Gray".

Thanks in advance!

[GeorgeH]

3 hours ago, Chai said:

could anyone possibly shed some light on this interesting looking American fiddle? What is it worth?

It looks to me like a amateurishly-made kind of "folk fiddle," and not worth much. Sorry.

[Brad Dorsey]

The word "regraduated" on the label means that Tyler did not make the violin.  Instead, he regraduated it, which means that he took the top of the violin and he carved the parts thinner.

[Shunyata]

We are always quick to make the judgement of “worthless”.  While that assessment may be accurate and important to a dealer, that does not mean that a fiddle is not “worthwhile” to an individual.

Grandma Moses paintings look “amateurishly made”.  Shaker furniture is deliberately plain, in the extreme.  But they have every bit the artistry, charm and meaning of an Andrew Wyeth or Benjamin Randolph.

 

[Strad O Various Jr.]

I assume this is the "usual" regraduated and revarnished by some American, which makes it worth less than nothing basically, he also f'd up the f holes

[mathieu valde]

9 minutes ago, Shunyata said:

We are always quick to make the judgement of “worthless”.  While that assessment may be accurate and important to a dealer, that does not mean that a fiddle is not “worthwhile” to an individual.

Grandma Moses paintings look “amateurishly made”.  Shaker furniture is deliberately plain, in the extreme.  But they have every bit the artistry, charm and meaning of an Andrew Wyeth or Benjamin Randolph.

 

So you really like that "violin"?   it is not really worthless, you can quite successfully use it as wall deco. 

[Shunyata]

41 minutes ago, mathieu valde said:

So you really like that "violin"?   it is not really worthless, you can quite successfully use it as wall deco. 

I like that violin that same way I like my bug-eyed dog.  Hah!!!

[mathieu valde]

Just now, Shunyata said:

I like that violin that same way I like my bug-eyed dog.  Hah!!!

great. your dog is not made by an amateur. your violin is a thing which looks like violin.

 

[Blank face]

The OP violin isn't made by an amateur, but a common Mnk/Schb made trade fiddle, overworked by a jerk altering ff, varnish and graduations. The dog looks authentic.

Edit: I see now after moderation that Mr O’Various agreed on the fiddle, maybe on the dog, too.

[GeorgeH]

2 hours ago, Blank face said:

The OP violin isn't made by an amateur, but a common Mnk/Schb made trade fiddle, overworked by a jerk altering ff, varnish and graduations.

Perhaps, but along with everything else, the scroll does not look like a Mnk/Schb made trade fiddle scroll, either. The whole thing looks very crudely-made, even when compared to the lower grade cottage industry stuff. 

[Blank face]

22 minutes ago, GeorgeH said:

Perhaps, but along with everything else, the scroll does not look like a Mnk/Schb made trade fiddle scroll, either. The whole thing looks very crudely-made, even when compared to the lower grade cottage industry stuff. 

I assume that much is blurred due to stripping with sandpaper or scraping, edgework and other details. There’s not much visible from the scroll than front and rear, but both seem to be in congruence with the usual in my eyes.

[Spelman]

3 hours ago, Blank face said:

The OP violin isn't made by an amateur, but a common Mnk/Schb made trade fiddle, overworked by a jerk altering ff, varnish and graduations.

I think you're being a bit harsh. Is everyone who buys cheap (usually) Chinese violins today and experiments with regrads and refinishing a "jerk?"

[Chai]

Some are getting side tracked. I genuinely appreciate your responses. Thanks for clarifying!

[Marty Kasprzyk]

How does it sound?

The violin is supposed to be used for producing music.  If it doesn't sound good it is worthless for players.

 

[Blank face]

9 hours ago, Spelman said:

I think you're being a bit harsh. Is everyone who buys cheap (usually) Chinese violins today and experiments with regrads and refinishing a "jerk?"

I don't think I talked about "everybody" doing something what I didn't see but about the violin pictured here?

 

7 hours ago, Marty Kasprzyk said:

How does it sound?

The violin is supposed to be used for producing music.  If it doesn't sound good it is worthless for players.

 

Obviously both the persons signing it felt that it looked and sounded good, otherwise they hadn't put proudly their name into it.