Workmanship on this violin is of a consistently high order - a pointer to its origins being in a studio where very high standards of fine violinmaking were maintained. It was the Cape-based violinmaker Jimi Glenister who pointed out that structurally this violin manifested faultless workmanship conforming to the best in German violinmaking traditions.

What makes it interesting though is that the original dark brown varnish appears to have been reworked completely - lightened and manipulated by various traditional means to appear worn and used. The scroll, however, still has the original varnish on it, unless of course the neck and scroll are not original and were fitted later. Traces of the original darker varnish can still be seen on the F wings and in rib c bouts. There is no neck graft but most of the pegholes have been rebushed.

This violin is purely German in workmanship. It was fitted with a replica Josef Klotz label with a printed date, 1795. None of this is credible - the label is clearly a replica, oxidization (discoloration) of the label is not consistent with a genuine 1795 label, and the violin simply is not as old as that, appearing rather to date from around 1870. Its exact authorship will probably not be known.

The top is of exceptionally fine tone spruce with narrow and dense growth lines throughout, an indication that the wood was harvested from cold high altitudes. The back, neck and scroll are of somewhat plain maple, not highly figured and the ribs are of very plain maple. Purfling and mitres are nicely done, showing steady workmanship. This violin is structurally in excellent condition.

It is a well-toned instrument, with focussed sound, easy response, nicely balanced over the full register right into high positions. Altogether this is a good violin.

Dimensions :
	Length of back: 36.0 cm

Condition :

Structurally in excellent condition. The only discernable repair is to a crack in the top, running from the lower edge of the treble F down to the edge. This has been correctly cleated, long ago. The neck elevation was in 2013 corrected by the violinmaker, Albertus Bekker - superbly done. Bekker also rebushed some of the pegholes and corrected a minor crack in the pegbox - all perfectly secure. The original varnish was reworked many years ago to be lighter and was subjected to conventional antiquing techniques. It is unlikely that this trafficking of the varnish was done by the violin's maker, but it seems to have been done later. Despite this, it remains an attractive instrument.

Provenance :
	Withheld

Price :

P.O.A.