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Identifying 1930s fiddle/interesting build


NHFiddler

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Hi all,

I recently accumulated a few violins on the cheap from an auction- this one caught my eye as it is slightly heavier and has signs of heavy use/care. No signature that I can find anywhere. Only a little type written piece of paper stating “1930”. Any thoughts on it? The way it’s built I think is interesting. IMG_2075.thumb.jpeg.bd7581ddab5d6a513df6f7d23c6ffd8d.jpegIMG_2074.thumb.jpeg.a11d4172bf206a8bfd3d9ba9b5e87ec4.jpeg

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5 hours ago, jacobsaunders said:

A cheap old Saxon violin, where someone probably re-graduated the belly and made a new bar in 1930

You sure? A few things look interesting to me. One piece lower rib, through-neck, painted purfling and what appears at first glance to be a one piece top. Also those fittings (beech?). Could it be English? 

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I couldn't see the new photos without downloading some programme I have never heard of, so I didn't. Perhaps Shellbow will oblige as he sometimes does?

 

Re: "English"

As a young man, I moved to Germany. I soon discovered that if any German vm. couldn't work out wht something was, they would always say "oh, that's probably English", just as the English vm's I knew previously always said "that's German"!

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There were also a lot of autodidactical hobbyists within this Saxon-Bohemian realm, making fiddles from partially bought in parts and such. At least the notch in the bottomplate under the endpin or the pinned belly are giving clear hints to the origin, the sort of oddly carved pegbox rear, one piece belly and lower rib are a bit more idiosyncratic, without changing much of the general appearance.

The throughneck makes it probable that the violin is from the late 19th century, when a carved bar was the norm at this type, so I would also think that the 1930 date is pointing towards some regraduation, re-barring, inserting these braces, but one can't know for sure.

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Ok, thanks both for commenting. For the record, the HEIC files are high resolution, and the file titled IMG_2069 shows that the bar is carved. So it was probably shaved down rather than replaced when the top was regraduated.

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