There were three Hungarian violin makers named Emerick von Kabai - all three related. (Depending on the source, there are different spellings of the name.) The maker of this instrument was the third and most recent of the three and was born in Nádudvar in 1916. He mainly worked in Debrecen. He was also an active player in the Beszkárt Orchestra and was the orchestra's official luthier. As maker he focused on the Stradivari and Guarneri models. He was awarded a diploma at the 1979 Triennale in Cremona.

This violin is dated 1985 by hand and is sold with a certificate of authenticity by Béla Baranyi, a noted authority on Hungarian instruments, and dated 29 January 2019 in Budapest.

This violin, with its attractive reddish amber spirit varnish, has immediate visual appeal. The two-piece back, ribs, neck and scroll appear to be of the same wood - good maple with a mild flame of medium to narrow curl. The top is of finely grained tone spruce. Workmanship is really refined, notably in the Fs, the purfling and the corners.

This instrument responds easily with a very clear and well-balanced tone - satisfying and a pleasure to play. By all standards this is a good violin.

Dimensions :
	Length of back: 35.5 cm

Condition :

This violin is in excellent condition. The tone plates are free from cracks or repairs. The small thin dark lines in the top are natural sap marks in the wood and not cracks or repairs. It has been slightly artificially antiqued in the making process - much an accepted practice in good lutherie today. A peghole crack at the A-string peg has been repaired and rebushed in Hungary and is solid and secure.

Provenance :
	Imported directly from Hungary in January 2019 and now owned by Johan Grobbelaar.

Price :

On request