Violin Forum/Message Board

[joeyd71]

Not sure where to post this, but.....

I can't deny it- I know absolutely nothing about violins. I came across this violin in my grandmothers attic. I know it is a big name violin, but I also know that there are many fakes and reproductions, so I was hoping somebody could shed some light on it for me.

The inside of the violin says, "Antonius Stradiuarius Cremonensis faciebad anno 1721. Made in Czechoslovakia (Then there is a stamp with an 'A '[then a cross] then an 'S')

Here are some pictures I took of it.

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/8962/violen021.jpg


http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/6079/violen022.jpg

[Benedict White]

There are a few fakes about, yes, but what you have is not what violin makers would regard as a "fake".

Most (but not all) good violins are based on good violins of the "golden period" made by the great makers, and yours is based on a 1721 Strad. It isn't a Strad nor does it claim to be, it says it was made in Czechoslovakia which means I suppose it is post 1918 and pre 1994.

It has to be said that quite a lot of bad violins are also based on golden age instruments. You would need to post more photos up for people to tell, for example of the back, neck, label and the purfling (the lines around the edges).

[FiddleDoug]

It's a Czechoslovakian factory Strad copy. The fact that it says "Antonius Stradiuarius Cremonensis faciebad anno 1721" doesn't mean anything. Probably made in the early 1900's. I can see that it has a dyed hardwood fingerboard, which places it in the lower end of these instruments. Value in this condition is maybe $100, if there aren't any major cracks that we can't see.
_________________
Doug Wall

www.wallindependent.com

[Benedict White]

If it says made in Czechoslovakia then it was made after October 1918, and before 1st of January 1993. Czechoslovakia only existed between those dates, before being part of the Austro Hungarian empire and after splitting into the Czech and Slovak republic. In that sense, unless you regard 1918 to 1939 as early 1900's it can't be early 1900's.

[Benedict White]

I have to add, subject to seeing better photo's I can't help but wonder if the purfling isn't inked on rather than cut in.

[FiddleDoug]

If you split the 1900's into early, mid, and late, then I'd say my description fits. 1918 to 1939, pre-WWII. I've seen a lot of this type of instrument, and this one looks earlier rather than later.
_________________
Doug Wall

www.wallindependent.com

[Benedict White]

In which case, thanks to the political nature of maps, we know it was made after October 1918 and before 1939...

Quite a narrow date range.