In the inventory below, the following apply:

• Instruments are listed with the best on offer appearing first, followed downwards by a systematic gradation of quality.
  
  
• All child violins and other undersized instruments are presented at the bottom end of the inventory, irrespective of their quality or price.
  
  
• This listing is not exhaustive and does not necessarily contain all the instruments I have available. It is a considerable task to keep this website up to date, so it's always a good idea to contact me directly to find out what other instruments I might have on hand.
  
  
• Wherever indicated, pictures of the instruments can be viewed. Where thumbnail photos are presented, these can be enlarged by clicking on the photo you want to see.

 

Ref. 0353 A Good French Violin by Charles GAILLARD Paris, 1858 Click here to view	Although born in Mirecourt, Charles Gaillard did his apprenticeship as violinmaker in the Parisian studio of the great French violinmaker, Charles Adolphe Gand and thereafter was active in Paris mostly between 1850 and 1880. Every detail of Gaillard’s work is of superior quality, notably on his scrolls and work on the arching. Both William Henley and the French authority, Vannes, praise his work in superlatives. This violin by Gaillard is dated 1858 and bears the maker’s serial number 68. The label conforms to other examples and reads: “Charles Gaillard. 20 rue Notre Dame de Recouvrance. No 68, Paris 1858”. It is based on the Guarnerius pattern. The beautiful red-brown oil varnish for which Gaillard was known, is untouched and original, although somewhat worn in places. Throughout the violin is in excellent condition and has no cracks. It appears that the back may have had work done along the central seam where the two halves meet, but it appears to have been expertly repaired. Length of back – 357mm, upper bout – 169mm, inner bout – 115mm, lower bout – 209mm. This violin has a fabulous tone. It is rich, mature, noble and strong, with a beautiful and rich E-string and a full, powerful G-string. This quality is rare and displays mastery of craft that was somewhat unique to that Parisian group of the mid-19th century. The violin has all the attributes one would want in a very good solo instrument. Price: R 125 000 back to top
Ref. 0559 A Good Violin by Pragasen REDDY (b. 1932) Durban, 1995 Click here to view	Pragasen Reddy (b. 1932) became apprenticed to the Danish violinmaker, Amon Bilmark (1894-1961) in 1950, and for 11 years, until Bilmark’s death, he was the principal craftsman in Bilmark’s studio, undertaking virtually all the complex repairs and restorations of the many instruments that found their way to Bilmark’s workshop. Bilmark had been apprenticed to Simone Fernando Sacconi in Rome before the latter moved to the USA in 1931. Bilmark moved to South Africa in 1929 and by the time the young Pragasen Reddy started studying with him, he was the most important violinmaker and repairer in South Africa, servicing the many fine violins in about 5 major symphony orchestras in that country, as well a making a steady flow of violins, violas and cellos for an international demand. Bilmark’s master, Sacconi, was world-renowned as repairer and passed those methods on to Bilmark, who in turn passed these skills on to Reddy, who, for 11 years had exposure to a constant stream of fine violins in Bilmark’s studio. He became, under Bilmark’s tutorship, a master repairer and an excellent violinmaker. For example, Reddy did all the repairs on Alfredo Stengel’s Amati cello. (Stengel, who was an important Italian cellist living in Milan, would not let anyone other than Reddy work on his instruments.) Upon Bilmark’s death, Reddy set up his own business and workshop in Durban. Until today Reddy undertakes most of the work on the instruments of the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra in Durban – Africa’s leading orchestra, and serves violinists throught South Africa. Inasmuch as Amon Bilmark’s own work is universally accepted and catalogued as Italian, as is that of another important student of his – Alfredo Galea (1909-1994) – Reddy’s own work as violinmaker is shaped by the Italian tradition of which Bilmark was an important exponent. Reddy had no other teacher than Bilmark and his work can rightfully be referred to as Italian. As violinmaker his instruments have been sold mostly in Austria and Germany. This violin, begun in 1995 and finished in 2007, meticulously follows the Stradivari model. (LOB 35.5 cm; Bouts: 17, 11.3, 21 cm). The top is of excellent finely grained tone spruce. The two-piece back is of mildly flamed maple. The neck and scroll are of maple with a distinct fine curl and the sides are nicely flamed in a medium curl. The purfling is an interesting type with the centre line consisting of small alternating black and white squares – difficult to work with and to trace successfully without breakages, but in this case done with reasonble success. The oil varnish is truly beautiful and shows mastery – a golden honey colour with a tinge of red – excellent work. This is a very attractive violin. The tone is unmistakably Italian in quality with a rich silvery edge that adds penetration and projection. The g-string is unusually rich and satisfying and the tone balances well over the register. This violin qualifies for the designation – “a good violin”. It complies with all the requirements for professional work and should serve a good violinist well. Price: R120 000 (Approx. £9800 or US$15000, depending on exchange rate fluctuations) High resolution photos can be supplied on request. back to top
Ref. 0427 A French Violin Unknown Origin Ca 1750 Click here to view	This violin was for many years thought to be the work of the great French luthier, Claude Pieray (early 18th cent), but recently the faint remains of another older label was discovered in the back. The current Pieray label was inserted after the older (probably original) label had been removed, and was pasted over its traces. It is extremely unlikely that Pieray would have done such a thing. Furthermore, marks in the back would suggest that the label tampering was more recent. With such evidence against it, this cannot be considered as a Pieray. Nevertheless, the violin's fine properties remain impressive. The one-piece back is cut from a truly beautiful piece of maple with a very clear and distinct fine curl. The letter “T” is varnished on with multicoated varnish (almost resembling a wood inlay) just below the button (see photo) but the significance of this is unknown. The top is of medium-grained spruce and is absolutely free from cracks or evident repairs. The purfling is steady and very well traced throughout. The lower left corner of the inner bout on the back has been replaced and the workmanship on this repair is superb. The neck graft is excellent. The scroll is of somewhat plain wood, elegant, but could be better balanced. Whereas the back is of a lovely golden-brown with a touch of red amber, the front and scroll are of brown varnish. When playing on this violin I liked the tone immediately – it is very mature, crisp, clear and silvery, and the instrument speaks easily. The responsive tone allows for many colour gradations to which it responds well – really a fine instrument. High definition photos are available on request. Price: R 110 000 back to top
Ref. 0594 A Good French Violin by Ch. J. B. COLLIN-MÉZIN Paris, 1910 Click here to view	There are two Collin-Mézins – father and the son. The father (1841-1923) was Charles Jean Baptiste and the son (b.1870) was named Charles. The father’s instruments are generally considered more desirable than those of the son who operated a large studio in Mirecourt after returning from the USA in 1900. Ch. J. B. Collin-Mézin (the father) initially studied with his own father and later worked for Claude Francois Vuillaume in Brussels. He then started his own studio in Paris in 1867 where he remained until his death in 1923. As violinmaker he won numerous important prizes and awards and is considered as one of the important French violinmakers of his time. His instruments today are very sought-after and appreciated by professional musicians the world over. The English authority, William Henley, states in his famous Dictionary of Violin Makers that Ch. J. B. Collin-Mézin’s instruments can only be considered as authentic when they bear the signature in the back, next to the sound post. This violin has that signature. However, that is an over-simplification of a more complex situation. Initially this maker used to sign his violins in the back by hand, but it appears from Henley’s writing that the famous signature in the back in later years in fact was a stamp bearing a copyright facsimile of the original signature. I have seen at least one Collin-Mézin violin with Ch. J. B. Collin-Mézin’s label and the signature, but made in 1924 – a year after his death, which seems to suggest that the son, or another member of the clan freely used that stamp to make it seem that the instrument was by the father. The son, Charles, had a different label and his personal work was usually signed directly on the label and not in the back. All matters considered, the label in this violin corresponds to the father’s labels and it bears the required signature in the back. Furthermore the date hand-written on the label is authentic, since it also is stamped onto the neck block in the inside. This places the violin within the father’s lifetime, well before his death. In my view it is the father’s work. The top is of medium-grained fine tone spruce. The two-piece back, ribs and sides, neck and scroll are of nicely flamed maple with a distinct medium curl. The varnish is chestnut brown throughout. All marks on the instrument are purely superficial and structurally the violin is in excellent condition. The only repair I could discern is to the neck button in the back, which would suggest that the neck angle may have been corrected at some stage – but very well done. The neck angle is correct. This is a very good violin with excellent tonal properties, positively commented on by Prof. Walter Mony, a leading academic and teacher (now deceased) who at some stage used this violin. The violin has been the principal instrument of an important South African violin teacher. Price : US$12 000 (Approximately R 93 000) back to top
Ref. 0329 A Good Violin by Sandor ELEK (1881-1969) Miskolc, Hungary. Circa 1930 Click here to view	Sandor Elek (1881-1969) was one of Hungary’s foremost violinmakers of the 20th century. He was an apprentice of Lajos Bohak in Budapest and also worked with Oszwald Weidlich and Antal Habits. He then moved to Miskolc where he was based for the rest of his life, but his work was interrupted by the Great War from 1914 to 1920, part of which he spent in prison in Siberia. As violinmaker he received numerous important awards. This violin, unlabelled and undated, but from around 1930, loosely follows the Guarnerius pattern as is evident in the shape of the inner bouts and f-holes. It conforms in every respect to expectations of the standard of Elek’s work. It bears Elek’s brand in the centre of the back, on the inside. The choice of materials is superb throughout – medium-curled, well-flamed Balkan maple is used for the two-piece back, ribs and scroll. The top is of fine spruce. Furthermore, it has an ebony “edge protector” – an ebony reinforcement set into the middle of the right inner bout, to protect the bout edge from contact with the bow’s nut during rough play. This is a typical characteristic of Hungarian violins and was almost always employed by Elek. This violin’s scroll is beautiful and the purfling is superbly traced. Furthermore, the varnish is of the rich golden amber Elek was famous for. A crack between the lower tip of the left f-hole and the bottom edge has been expertly repaired and is hardly discernable. It is truly a beautifully crafted instrument with great visual appeal. It has a huge tone – intense and beautiful with penetration and projection, very even throughout the range and with clarity and purity in the high positions. This is a superb solo instrument with all the characteristics required for very demanding playing in a concert context. The instrument is currently in a private collection. Price: R90 000 back to top
Ref. 0182 A Good Violin by Boris SVERDLIK New York, 1989 Click here to view	This violin was for several years the principal instrument a leading South African concert violinists and was used for numerous public performances, concertos and commercial CD productions. It is a thoroughbred solo instrument made in 1989 in New York, by Boris Sverdlik. It is in excellent condition. The broadly flamed maple back is in two pieces, with matching ribs and scroll. The table is of medium grained spruce. This would be an excellent acquisition for a serious professional violinist seeking a responsive instrument suitable for all genres of performance. Price: R90 000 back to top
Ref. 0595 A French Violin labelled H. DERAZEY Mirecourt, 1880 Click here to view	Honoré Derazey (1794-1883) is (and definitely was in his own time) considered as a very important French violinmaker. He completed his apprenticeship in Mirecourt, then spent some years working in several of the leading violin studios in Paris, perfecting his craft. He then returned to Mirecourt, where he settled for the rest of his life. He won the foremost exhibition medals– in Paris (1839, 1844, 1849 and 1855) and in London (1851 and 1862). According to the French authority, René Vannes, Derazey’s work was so highly regarded that J. B. Vuillaume (then one of France’s leading makers) acquired instruments from Derazey and sold them from his Paris studio, after fitting his own personal label into them. From 1844 onwards, Derazey sought the more commercial avenue of a large studio and apprentices, resulting in massive output of instruments that became much in demand in England. However, Derazey’s own work always conformed to the highest standards – Henley refers to ”workmanship ‘à la finesse' in all verity”, and to ”the essence of delicacy”. This violin – meticulously following the Stradivari pattern - is a truly beautiful instrument from every perspective. The label is undated, but it’s well-preserved condition – being virtually mint – suggests that it dates from late in Derazey’s activities, probably around 1880, or slightly before. It certainly dates from after 1855, when Derazey won a medal in the Exposition Universelle. Its back betrays his preference for one-piece backs, almost always of impressively beautiful wood. In this case it is of maple with a distinct broad flame running at a slant across the back. The ribs and scroll match the back perfectly. The top is of medium-grained tone spruce. Of Derazey’s f-holes Henley says ”Sound-holes not surpassed by any maker of any period or any school for perfect grace and curve” and he refers to the ”…artistic combination of the sound-holes with the waist curve”. The varnish is reddish brown with a tinge of red and appears to be the original. This violin’s tone is clean and balanced, with clarity and evenness throughout. This is a good instrument. Price: R 85 000 back to top
Ref. 0535 A good Italian Violin by Peter POTS Scurano, Italy, 2008 Click here to view	After completing his apprenticeship in violinmaking in Cremona, followed by several years of violin restoration in the same centre, Peter Pots settled in the small mountain village of Scurano, not far from Cremona. For the past number of years this is where he constructs his instruments, and from where he supplies instruments to leading dealers and musicians throughout Europe, notably in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland and elsewhere. Today Pots commands respect and regularly has musicians travel from abroad to visit his studio to acquire an instrument from him - notably his cellos and violas are much in demand by principals in European orchestras. Pots works within the established Italian and Cremonese traditions. He received his early schooling in Cremona, where his father (Peter Pots Sr) apprenticed and worked as violinmaker. After university studies in South Africa (in Entomology), Pots returned to Cremona to study violinmaking under maestro Vanna Zambelli. After completion of the 5-year course in 3 years, he worked for the renowned restorers Bruce Carlson, Fausto Cacciatori and Bernard Neumann, where he had daily contact with some of the world’s finest instruments. Peter Pots generally uses his own model for most of his instruments. It was originally developed by his father, Peter Pots Sr (1944-2005), who was an important Cremonese violinmaker. (See violin no 0553 elsewhere on this page and viola 0522 on the Viola Page, as examples.) He also pursues direct contact with the musicians who would eventually use the instruments, considering their input and comment on his work. In this way he has maintained contact with some of the finest musicians in the world, such as Heinrich Schiff, Valentin Erben, Gerhard Schulz, Thabea Zimmermann, Thomas Riebl and many others who today own and perform on Peter Pots’s instruments. With this violin Pots departs from his own individual design to closely follow the standard Stradivari model. Nevertheless, he always pays particular attention to playing comfort : the neck is shaped carefully to suit most hands. Furthermore, as with all his instruments, the back is particularly thick, ensuring that the violin will have a long period of improvement, and it adds that particular solid sound which is a characteristic of Peter Pots’s instruments. The top is of medium to fine-grained tone spruce with straight grain. The two-piece back, ribs and scroll are of maple with a medium to fine curl and clear flame. The scroll is nicely balanced and strong. Peter Pots manufactures his own purfling, which is normally quite narrow. The purfling is very well traced and the corner work neat. LOB is 35.6 cm. A very striking aspect of this violin is the attractive deep red-brown varnish. The varnish is thickly applied but has transparancy that allows the beauty of the wood to be observed and which compiments the violin. Pots used the identical varnish formula used by Francesco Bissolotti – one of most important violinmakers. This violin has seduced several excellent violinists with its rich and responsive tone – a satisfying g-string with good balance over the 4 strings and good response in the high positions. The last photo shows Peter Pots in workshop in Scurano, working on a halfsize violin for his daughter. Price: Available on application. back to top
Ref. 0498 Violin by J J VAN DE GEEST Johannesburg, 1942 Click here to view	The great Dutch violinmaker, Jacobus Jan van de Geest (1899-1974), came from a long line of violinmakers. He learnt his craft with Eugen Eberle in Rotterdam from 1914 onwards. In 1921 he joined Hart & Son in London, then the most important violin firm in London. He became their studio’s master craftsman in charge of all work, until the company closed in 1938. During his 18 years with Hart & Son, Van de Geest was exposed to the finest instruments in the world and routinely worked on them, adding to his extensive knowledge of the work of the masters, and making of him a recognized authority of the highest order. In 1939 he moved to Johannesburg, South Africa, and there he soon became a formidable force in the music life of that country, not only as a remarkable craftsman producing violins, violas and cellos, but also as a brilliant restorer and expert, and as an importer of many fine violins. In his own instruments he mainly copied the work of Stradivarius and Guarnerius, which won praise from some of the world’s leading violinists, including Carl Flesch. In 1949 he won the highest award at the International Competition for Violinmakers in The Hague, and again in 1954 he was awarded the two highest diplomas for a String Quartet he had made for the Competition in Liège. This violin, dated 1942, is in mint condition and virtually unused. It shows Van de Geest work at a time when his skill was at its finest. The two-piece back is of attractively flamed maple with a medium curl. The ribs are also of well-figured maple, but with a milder curl. The top is of medium-grained tone spruce. Purfling is impeccable with excellent work in the corners. F-holes are reminiscent of Guarneri – a maker that Van de Geest often used as model. The scroll, beautifully flamed, is a splendid work of art, and reveals Van de Geest’s powers as master craftsman of the highest degree. Throughout the instrument speaks of a steady hand and an eye for perfect balance, structure and craftsmanship. The violin is entirely free from any cracks or discernable repairs. This violin is varnished in a deep wine red oil-based varnish – colour he liked and used on many of his violins. The colour is intense yet the varnish is clear, allowing for appreciation of the qualities of wood. The boxwood fittings are probably original and very attractive. The bridge is still the original, and in perfect order. This instrument is well-toned with a “clean” sound, pure and responsive in all registers. It is a very satisfying instrument to play on. It is rare still to find one of Van de Geest’s violins in South Africa. They are mostly bought up by Dutch and other collectors. Price: R80 000 (Approx. US$ 11 000, subject to exchange rate fluctuations) Note: High resolution photos can be e-mailed on request. back to top
Ref. 0605 An Italian violin by Giuseppe MODAUDO Corsica, c. 1925 Click here to view	Giuseppe Modaudo was born in Catania in 1879. At the age of 14 he was being apprenticed by the Carabba Brothers and he built his first violin when he was 16 in 1895. In 1905, aged 26, he moved to the USA and settled in New York, and later in Chicago. He regularly travelled to Europe, but returned to Italy permanently in 1949, when he settled in Rome until his death. In spite of spending most of his creative life in the USA, he always labelled his violins as Italian, being made in Catania. By 1927 he had made 500 instruments – a considerably output by all standards, which amounts to around 15 instruments per year, or more than one per month. The English authority, William Henley, considers his work as a “rather superior kind of trade instrument”. He used Swiss pine for the breasts – well seasoned and accoustically resonant, with backs and ribs of light Italian maple, nicely figured. Henley says further that all details are excellent. His work is always styled on the Cremonese or Bescian models. He singles out the varnish as being ususually thick – eight coats – but elastic and very transparent, often of chessnut colour. The tone he considers as excellent. The above largely describes this violin. Bearing Modaudo’s usual label, it has a hand-written insciption added that indicates that the violin was probably made in Corsica, during one of his visits to that island. It is not dated precisely but would have been made around 1925. I was first struck by the really attractive two-piece back – an unusually finely curled maple also used for the ribs. The neck and scroll seem to be of similar wood, but not the same. The chessnut coloured varnish is fairly thickly applied but has singular appeal in being very transparent, allowing appreciation for the fine selection of woods used in this violin. I believe this is the original varnish, largely untouched. The top is of finely grained Swiss pine - two small inlays appear to have been done by the maker himself as is often the case in replacing natural blemishes in the wood. The purfling is tidy and steady. The scroll seems somewhat “woody” but has good balance and strength. The violin appears to be free from serious repairs or cracks.and is structurally in excellent condition. The top left corner on the front has been repaired and there is a small ebony pin through the right bottom corner on the front. It is fitted with very attractive matching rosewood fittings. All marks in the varnish of the instrument are purely superficial and not structural. After work to the setup and with a new bridge (done after the current photos), this violin now sounds really good – a big healthy tone with strength in the lower register and clarity and carrying power in the high register. Tone is balanced over the full register. This is a responsive violin. Price : R 70 000 (Approximately US$ 9 000) back to top
Ref. 0378 A Violin of French Origin School of Pique Circa 1790 Click here to view	This violin is unlabelled, but consensus from several persons puts its date around 1790. There is no disagreement on being French, but some debate exists around it’s exact origin: Anthony Houska, a leading dealer in London, believed it to be the work of François Pique (1758-1822). Prof. Walter Mony agreed with that assessment. At some stage it was thought to be an early Lupot, dating from the period when he was working in Orléans, before 1794. At that time he produced several violins based on a smaller Stradivarian model, all of them characterized by an extraordinary ruby-tinted varnish of unusual beauty and, above all, an exceptionally attractive silvery tone with great penetration. However, a recent examination of this instrument by Jean-Jacques Rampal in the studio of Etienne Vatelot in Paris, eliminated the notion that this violin could be either a Pique or a Lupot. Rampal confirmed its French origins, but felt that it would be very difficult to identify the maker. It would be safe enough to say simply that this violin is from the Pique school. What sets this violin aside is its tonal beauty. It is an ideal instrument for quartet playing – clear, silvery, penetrative, very responsive and easy to play on, mature and with a beautiful and responsive g-string. The instrument was recently rescued from total oblivion and delapidation. It is in excellent condition, with no structural repairs evident anywhere. Two corners have been damaged but have been reconstructed. The orignal varnish on the top, ribs and scroll has been exposed after very careful renovation. An early attempt to strip the back has left the original varnish damaged and the back scratched, but not damaged. The original ruby coloured varnish of the front is of an exquisite color that only the French of that time could achieve and a fabulous example of its genre. The back is of one piece. The purfling is faultless, and the corners of a craftmanship that is seldom seen today, with fabulously executed bee-stings. More than anything it is this aspect of the violin, combined with its exceptional tonal properties, that show its origin to be by the hand of an unusually skilled maker. Price: R70 000. back to top
Ref. 0624 A very good Student Violin of French Origin Probably Mirecourt. Ca 1870 Click here to view	This violin bears an inscription on its back that serves as clue to its origin - it’s a poem, or a type of motto, written in what apparently is an ancient Italian dialect from the Cremonese region : In silvis viva silui canora jam mortua cano. This is an ode to the trees violins are made from - loosely translated it means Living I dwelt in the forest, where I beheld the singing of birds. Whilst living my voice was silent, but in death my song is sweet. The use of this inscription on the back of their instruments is specifically associated with a studio in Mirecourt, France, where such instruments were being produced during the second half of the 19th century. This violin has a double purfling in both the top and back, with some elaborate and ornate purfling work around the inscription (see photos). It is based on the Guarneri pattern and bears a fake Guarneri label, but everything about it seems to conform to Mirecourt traditions making the violin convincingly French. The materials are nicely chosen and all detail is well-crafted. Varnish is a dark-brown with a strong reddish tinge. Length 36 cm. A small stamp in the back just below the button reads AtS contained in a circle. This is the stamp normally associated with the work of Antonio Stradivari. Since this is clearly not his work and this violin is based on a Guarneri pattern, it could be that the stamp is a personal identifier for the French craftman who made the instrument. (Does anybody has information about this?) The instrument is well-used but in good condition, with a few minor repairs to the top and it appears that a repair was carried out in the button area. This violin is well-toned and responsive, balanced over the register and plays easily Price: R25 000 back to top
Ref. 0443 Violin by Albertus BEKKER Johannesburg, 2005 Click here to view	The South African violinmaker, Albertus Bekker’s work has already impressed to the extent that he now receives commissions from professional violinists. Whilst working towards the refinement of his instruments, it can be said that he has the tonal aspects well in control and seems to understand the tonal response of wood and how to get the best from it – his instruments tend to a dark tone and speak easily and with power. The violin displayed in the accompanying photos is based on the Conte di Fontana Stradivari of 1702, which was used by the great Russian violinist, David Oistrakh and which served as main inspiration for Bekker. The materials are well-chosen – the two-piece back, ribs and scroll are of medium curled maple with a mild flame – this is Bosnian maple, the preferred maple for violinmaking. The top is of medium-grained tone spruce, which had grown in the Val di Fiemme district in Italy (from where it is said that Stradivari also sourced his wood). Purfling is well traced and the scroll nicely done with good balance. Throughout the violin is well made, the arching a little higher than the original model, and the F-holes elegantly done. This violin is the result of some 200 hours of work - all by hand. Bekker makes his own oil-based varnish – in this case a gentle golden brown with a lovely shade of red. It is a very soft and delicate varnish that will allow the instrument to age gracefully. In this aspect he was inspired by the Cremonese love for red, gold and rusty tints in their instruments. This particular violin has already been sold, but is left on this webpage for reference purposes as an example of Bekker’s work. The price of a commission is to be negotiated directly with him. back to top
Ref. 0526 A German violin by The SCHUSTER COMPANY Markneukirchen Circa 1875 Click here to view	The Schuster family of violin and bow makers is vast and its history goes back deep into the 18th century. Some 30 makers of this family left their mark as excellent instrument makers and some excelled as bowmakers. By and large the name Schuster commands respect. In 1824 Karl Gottlob Schuster founded a very important workshop which commercially produced string instruments. Ulrich Schuster and his brother Raymond joined this company in the late 19th century and for decades they dominated the German output of good quality trade instruments. They largely worked in contest with studios in Mittenwald and even Mirecourt, France. As a manufacturer they excelled in their choices of materials – always good and attractive woods, nicely crafted and varnished and with healthy good-quality tone. Raymond withdrew from the company in 1913 and Ulrich died in 1921. The company was then taken over by Nicolaus Schuster who became the sole owner. The company was still operating in 1951. This Schuster company had different labels at different times : the label in this violin was used specifically during the 1870s and 1880s, which would agree with the fact that the original owner of the violin received it as a gift in 1876. The violin is appealing on the eye – a really attractively flamed two-piece maple back, ribs, neck and scroll carries a good tone spruce top, the whole instrument being varnished in a red-brown varnish that compliments the materials well. The violin is in impeccable condition. Through the years it sustained some scratches and wear patterns, but these are strictly superficial and add to the character of the instrument. The tone is of good quality, as is most of the violins produced by this company - clear and bright and speaks easily, with good penetration and carrying power. Price : R 19 500. back to top
Ref. 0585 A good Student Violin Probably German Circa 1890 Click here to view	This violin is the product of a good late-19th century workshop producing “trade” instruments – being instruments aimed at the student and amateur market. Such violins were of a more commercial nature and intended to provide an affordable alternative to expensive handmade instruments. “Trade” studios at that time had access to good materials and also used good craftsman. Today, a hundred years later, these violins have matured and come into their own, and are excellent for students, or talented beginners. This particular violin features an attractive one-piece back and throughout the materials are good and the workmanship tidy. It has been “antiqued” inasmuch as it was made to appear older than it acutally is. It has a fake Stradivari label inside. A minor repair to the top has been professionallly done and is stable. In its current state, it was set up by the Cremonese-trained violinmaker, Dawne Haddad. The violin has good tone – warm and responsive and should serve a talented student well, up to an advanced level. Price: R 12 000 back to top