Although this violin no longer has its label, its authorship is positively established through the stylized black ink initials written on the neck button - something systematically done on all instruments by Luigi Curio Cipriano Dosi (d. 1940). Very little else is known about L.C.C. Dosi, other than the fact that he spent the latter part of his life in Durban, South Africa where he died in 1940. Although his year and place of birth is not known, it can be reasonably assumed that he was related to Pietro Dosi, a respected violinmaker who worked in Bologna, Italy in the late 19th century.

A calculated guess would date this violin to around 1920. Throughout it respects the norms of fine violinmaking, from the choice of materials to the attention to detail in the scroll, the Fs and in the tracing of the purfling, reflecting a steady and confident hand.

This violin has a truly magnificent scroll - bold, superbly balanced and champhered and with beautiful flame. The pegs are new. The two-piece maple back is of nicely flamed maple with a straight, medium curl, repeated in the ribs, neck and scroll. The top is of narrow to medium grained tone spruce. Varnish is brown.

This violin is well-toned with clarity and focus and good balance, much of what one would expect of a good Italian instrument.

Dimensions :
	Length of back: 36.0 cm

Condition :

Structurally this violin is in very good condition. It recently received a completely fresh setup, including new pegs. The fingerboard was reprofiled. A very fine soundpost crack in the top has been patched on the inside and all minor cracks are correctly cleated, including the small wingcrack in the treble F. At some point in its past this violin's neck was secured with wooden holding pins into the neck block. This is stable. As it is now it should serve reliably for many decades, if not centuries to come.

Provenance :
	Withheld

Price :

On request