Curious Button Stamp

[Gerald Elias]

I'm curious about the button stamp on this violin, which is either O.W. or W.O. The instrument belongs to my older brother, who has not touched it in over 50 years. To me it looks like a turn-of-the-20th-century German violin, but not necessarily. I'd be happy to hear from anyone who can tell me who the maker is.

[Blank face]

10 hours ago, Gerald Elias said:

I'm curious about the button stamp on this violin, which is either O.W. or W.O. The instrument belongs to my older brother, who has not touched it in over 50 years. To me it looks like a turn-of-the-20th-century German violin, but not necessarily. I'd be happy to hear from anyone who can tell me who the maker is.

Otto Windisch, a Vogtlandish firm selling all kind of stringed instruments, beside violins also guitars, mandolins and so on. These instruments were made by anonymous workers from the cottage industry in division of labor, not by single makers.