Solo-level violin?

[Pagamini]

Hi, can anyone identify the possible maker of this violin? (No label inside)

I'm a violinist and I've never played a violin with such a powerful sound. To me, it's a solo-level violin.

I appreciate all opinions.

[Brian in Texas]

The people that are good at identifying these will want more pictures. Click here to see a general guide of what to include.

[dpappas]

In some sense it doesn't matter who made the violin.  If it, to you, is a "solo-level" instrument, then it is.

[Wood Butcher]

There is a lot more to a solo-level violin than power…

The violin looks very ordinary, and I think all we can say is it seems louder under the ear to you, than your other violin(s)

[Pagamini]

1 hour ago, Wood Butcher said:

There is a lot more to a solo-level violin than power…

The violin looks very ordinary, and I think all we can say is it seems louder under the ear to you, than your other violin(s)

It's not just the sound power. It's the resonance, the timbre, the response and clarity of the notes. I can say that I've played dozens of violins and for me this is by far the best. It's true that I've never played a master like Strad or Guarnieri. But compared to those I've tried, this is far superior.

[Pagamini]

4 hours ago, dpappas said:

In some sense it doesn't matter who made the violin.  If it, to you, is a "solo-level" instrument, then it is.

You're right, and I'm very pleased with this violin. But I'm curious to know who made it.

[Pagamini]

5 hours ago, Brian in Texas said:

The people that are good at identifying these will want more pictures. Click here to see a general guide of what to include.

Thank you. But I think that with the photos I posted, some experts can at least determine the origin and time period.

[martin swan]

I’m glad you like the sound.

For me a regular MK/Sch late 19th century …

[Pagamini]

41 minutes ago, martin swan said:

I’m glad you like the sound.

For me a regular MK/Sch late 19th century …

It seemed that way to me too, but given the sound quality I was hoping it was something more.

[martin swan]

10 minutes ago, Pagamini said:

It seemed that way to me too, but given the sound quality I was hoping it was something more.

No reason why this kind of violin shouldn’t work well sometimes.

correspondingly some violins by great and highly valued makers can be awful …

[M Alpert]

1 hour ago, martin swan said:

I’m glad you like the sound.

For me a regular MK/Sch late 19th century …

That's what it looks like to me too, though better quality craftsmanship than usual - may be hard to pin down the exact time period but the building style looks obvious.

If they had had fairer business practices back then (pride and respect for the makers, names and documentation), this kind of instrument would be much more valuable now... IMHO

[Wood Butcher]

I wonder if this one was even made from something similar to those pre carved plates you have .

[lifestyle_nyc]

I also have a similar looking no label violin except mine is a 2 piece back. I also believe it to be a German workshop violin from the early 20th century in Mittenwald (possibly Markneukirchen) It has a great projecting sound and for what I paid for it, I think I got a pretty good deal.

[Pagamini]

1 hour ago, Wood Butcher said:

I wonder if this one was even made from something similar to those pre carved plates you have.

I don't know, and it will be difficult to know. Once it's built, it's impossible to tell that about any violin. It doesn't seem like a recent violin to me. Judging by its measurements, it looks more like a copy or a violin based on a specific model.

[Pagamini]

21 hours ago, M Alpert said:

That's what it looks like to me too, though better quality craftsmanship than usual - may be hard to pin down the exact time period but the building style looks obvious.

If they had had fairer business practices back then (pride and respect for the makers, names and documentation), this kind of instrument would be much more valuable now... IMHO

For me, the finish and quality of the wood and varnish is far superior to any violin from Markneukirchen that I have seen.

[Spelman]

You should look at more Markies then

[martin swan]

3 minutes ago, Spelman said:

You should look at more Markies then

I was going to say the same …

[Blank face]

Reminds of the famous dealer claim “It’s not from Markneukirchen, much better, it’s from the Vogtland”.

[Wood Butcher]

I would bet there are at least 10,000 posts on M’net, where someone is claiming their “usual” is better than the “usual usuals” 

[David Burgess]

On 11/6/2025 at 5:08 AM, Pagamini said:

To me, it's a solo-level violin.

Are you a soloist?

[deans]

Everyone's a soloist. They just have different audiences.

[GeorgeH]

On 11/6/2025 at 4:25 PM, martin swan said:

No reason why this kind of violin shouldn’t work well sometimes.

Gaussian Distribution of the Quality of Mass-Produced Violins.

 

[M Alpert]

2 hours ago, martin swan said:

I was going to say the same …

Yep  me too

An incredibly wide range of qualities were made in and around Markneukirchen between just approximately 1880-1914, not to mention before and after that.

Some were very good craftsmanship, but still a nameless violin built with MK methods. "Soloist" sound (which is entirely a subjective claim) does not increase value much in these, so just enjoy yours and leave it at that.

[ke0777]

From time to time, you can find a factory violin that sounds quite well, glad you found something you like! 

A colleague of mine had a 1500$ German factory violin that sounded great and was extremely easy to play on, so as long as it works for you, go for it!

[Wood Butcher]

Quick question, how many bona fide soloists are known to play on a mass-produced Markneukirchen violin?