Looking for Information on Violin Labeled “Joannes Schorn”

[The Violin Beautiful]

Hello All,

Below are photos of a violin I have at my bench currently. The owner has given permission to post them in an effort to gather more information. It has been appraised (2023 at a reputable shop) as a “violin labeled Joannes Schorn.” The shop that wrote the appraisal has said that they are unable to draw conclusions about its origins. I‘m hoping to get some ideas of its age and origins.

For what it’s worth, there is a violin up for auction at Tarisio’s London auction currently that comes with a certificate and dendro report that suggest it’s genuine. The violin I’ve got doesn’t match to my eye. 
https://tarisio.com/auctions/auction/lot/?csid=2200305664&cpid=4221927424&filter_key=

[jacobsaunders]

If you are looking for information on the Schorn family of violin makers, your best place to start is probably Rudi Hopfner’s entry in the Österreichische Musiklexicon https://www.musiklexikon.ac.at/0xc1aa5576_0x0001e18c

To the instrument itself, one might conclude with some confidence that the label is one of those facimile ones pubished in 19^th C Markneukirchen. Leaves one wondering about the fiddle, so I will wait for any further photos

[Blank face]

2 hours ago, The Violin Beautiful said:

Hello All,

Below are photos of a violin I have at my bench currently. The owner has given permission to post them in an effort to gather more information. It has been appraised (2023 at a reputable shop) as a “violin labeled Joannes Schorn.” The shop that wrote the appraisal has said that they are unable to draw conclusions about its origins. I‘m hoping to get some ideas of its age and origins.

For what it’s worth, there is a violin up for auction at Tarisio’s London auction currently that comes with a certificate and dendro report that suggest it’s genuine. The violin I’ve got doesn’t match to my eye. 
https://tarisio.com/auctions/auction/lot/?csid=2200305664&cpid=4221927424&filter_key=

I would think a straight forward Vogtlandish violin from the first half or mid 19th century (with a Fahrkarte).

[The Violin Beautiful]

I was thinking it looked like something from the 19th century as well and the suggestion of Vogtland makes sense to me. I can provide more photos soon. 

[The Violin Beautiful]

I took a couple photos of the interior. The endbutton hole was too small to get a picture of the while interior that would be useful and I was not doing any repair work that would require the top to be removed. I’ve since returned the violin to its owner, but I’m interested in hearing any additional thoughts if these photos of linings and blocks help. If you look closely at the original photo of the bottom bout, you can see that a rectangular piece of wood was replaced in the rib beneath the saddle; it looks as though there may have previously been a saddle let into the rib. 

[jacobsaunders]

I rather wonder if the blocks/linings are original to the instrument

[The Violin Beautiful]

32 minutes ago, jacobsaunders said:

I rather wonder if the blocks/linings are original to the instrument

I’m not sure. It did jump out at me that the lower linings were much shorter, possibly as a result of planing wood off the rib structure from the bottom. I’ve seen that done on instruments that had tall ribs to make them fall into line with average rib heights. I can't offer any insight into the blocks. What I know is that the violin has had a lot of work done  in the past. The neck graft looks professional and other repairs inside look like they were done by an experienced workman.

I spoke to the shop that appraised it several years ago to ask for more information and they said no one there could come to any conclusions about what it was and that it was a violin that would have to sell “exclusively on its merits as a tool for making music.”