Here’s an interesting one. It’s rare to see pre-modern violins with their original necks instead of grafted modern ones. Usually an old neck is modernized by unmounting it from the rib (they’re glued on the outside and nailed from the inside for security), adding some on the bottom, and resetting the neck in the modern, […]
Archives for February 2010
Prime Choice
Modern makers think they need the very best wood, with particular grain widths, specific gravity, ideal species, from the right side of the mountain cut at the right time by the right person saying the right incantations. The old Italian makers weren’t so fussy. This ¾-size cello is from around 1780, and it sounds great. […]
Texture
I have quite a few shots of varnish texture in my collection. This very attractive example is on a Gand & Bernardel violin from the 1860s. Sometimes texture only shows in protected or low spots, like the location above. This particular violin had it all over–here’s another shot:… Read more »
Printed Antiquing
I’ve seen maple curls that were painted on, but how about some stamped-on antiquing?… Read more »
Good News
A violin, bought as a fake, with this obviously fraudulent label. The violin looks like it’s from the same town that the label indicates, but it certainly isn’t as old as the label says: Notice how the label isn’t glued in all that well, though. It’s in the wrong place, near the center of the […]
A Personal Billboard
Some labels are better than others!… Read more »
Pinpricks and Dimples
There’s a tool in Stradivari’s collection of tools that’s designed to prick depth marks to be used in the graduation of the plates. It looks somewhat like the sketch above, which is a drawing of the device I made for use in my own shop. It is used to punch holes to a depth that […]
Varnish Pinholes
Old violins often have pinholes in the varnish. No one knows exactly how they got there, but they imply some things about how makers 300 years ago varnished, and what was important to them (pinholes obviously didn’t bother them much). This probably wouldn’t happen if the wood under the varnish was too well sealed, except […]