Smaller violins?

[stern]

Berlin Tarisio Auction Lot 161 a GB Rogeri  replaced head LOB 343MM sold for approx $60,000 US all in.  That size is approaching 3/4 size 335 mm. Is there much of a market for smaller  violins like this?

Different markets may differ but just wondering how difficult it would be to sell this for over 60k (the obvious is "well it was in an auction for that very reason.) It is can very  easy to buy something that is virtually unsaleable.

Any thoughts?

 

 

[duane88]

I know a Tononi, with Ch Beare certificate, in which he asserts that the violin was once a piccolo and has been converted. Same size, 343mm.

[stern]

Is this a violin that someone regularly plays?

[duane88]

Yes, in a professional Symphony.

[stern]

Interesting wonder how many professional violinist play on a nearly 3/4 size violin?

[rickpmills]

I can only speak as part of the proletariat, but there used to be a term used - 'ladies violin', I don't know if it is common parlance anymore. 

So two of my cheap but decently playable 20's German trade full size violins are such.

One is very light with a slender body + slender pear wood fingerboard. It is most comfortable to play if you don't have big hands and it packs a punch well above it's weight.

The other has a fairly 'normal' body size but has a slender but quite thick ebony FB. The width at the nut is 21.5mm and at the bridge end, 39mm. It has been expertly set up by Simon Speed at H George and Son with the standard width spacings for the strings. Now you might think that your fingers would fall off the edges of the FB but they don't! Again, most comfortable to play especially for me, and adult relearner, in the higher positions.

I recently sold a 4/4 violin made for Moennigs in 1935 which had a 20mm width at the nut. Now that was a bit tight to play.

So to answer the question, there must be a market for smaller/more slender violins at all levels, it's a case of the violin finding the right player!

 

Sorry about the poor quality of the set up image but you can just see what's going on!