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Violin - Copy of Antonio Stradivari Made in West Germany

Your Question:
I am caring for a violin of a dear friend of mine while she's away.  She has had it for 30 years, and the inside has a sticker that says "Copy of Antonio Stradivari, Made in West Germany".  Then a smaller sticker says "Otto Stein v-933".  I was wondering if you had any information regarding the maker.  Also, should I have it reconditioned in some way for her or would that devalue the instrument?

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My Answer:
After extensive research I was unable to find any information on Otto Stein.  My guess is that is either a trade name (a name of a fictitious maker used usually used to distinguish a particular model of student instrument) or perhaps a dealer who added a shop label to this instrument.

Copy of Antonio Stradivari West Germany

In examining the wood selection used for the top and particularly used for the back, neck and scroll in addition to the quality of varnish and overall workmanship, my conclusion is that this is a student grade instrument made circa 1950-1970.  The West Germany label helps to date this violin as Germany was divided between East and West starting July 1st, 1945 and the Reunification started in 1990.  Thus providing an age span for instruments bearing labels from East and West Germany.  To my eye the scroll looks like factory work and the varnish appears to be spirit, or alcohol based as observed by chips in the varnish.  

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You will not do any harm to this instrument if you have it reconditioned by an experienced luthier.  In fact it would be a good idea to have it checked for open seams, cracks and proper fit of the bridge and sound post.  When you ask about reconditioning I hope that you don't mean revarnishing.  It is rare for an instrument to be revarnished unless there is a good reason for it, such as most of the varnish is either missing or severely damaged.  It looks as though the violin will need to have the pegs lubricated and adjusted so that they turn evenly and fit well.  There appears to be significant wear on the fingerboard so it should be planed or "dressed" to removed grooves, bumps and ridges.  Your luthier will probably want to fit a new soundpost, bridge and strings.  From the photo the end button appears to fit well but if the luthier determines that it does not fit well he or she may recommend replacement.  The violin should have a good cleaning, some varnish retouch and a fresh set of strings. 

End Button

A suggestion would be to replace the tailpiece with a Wittner tailpiece with built-in fine tuners.  The Wittner tailpiece is lighter weight than the ebony tailpiece on this instrument and the fine tuners are curved on the underside which runs less risk of damage to the top of the violin if the fine tuners are turned all the way down.  I hope that you are able to get this violin into good playing condition so that it can make music once again.

1912 Ludwig Koschat Violin and Otto Adler Violin Bow

Your Question:
Hello, I have an old violin bow stamped Otto Adler. would you happen to have any info on the value of this bow and its history? I also have an old violin from 1912 by Ludwig Koschat with a serial number 2018.It has mechanical pegs as well.ps.is it possible for luthiers to switch the soundpost from a violin for their benefit? I took in an old violin and i just noticed it has a newer soundpost. this was done with out my permission. the sound isn't as bright anymore either.


My Answer:
Thank you for your inquiry. I would need more information and photos to give you an opinion. What I can tell you is that Otto Adler, bow maker, was born in Markneukirchen, Germany in 1910 and worked in Mittenwald. His silver mounted, ebony bows, in good condition sell for around $1,000. Condition, mountings and weight effect the value of a bow, so without knowing these things I can't give an opinion on the value of your bow. After seeing the photo of your bow it appears to be a nickel mounted pernambuco bow in need of some restoration. I would place the value of the bow in it's present state at $200-$400.

Regarding the Koschat violin, again, because condition and authenticity effect the value I am unable to give an opinion without more information. Can you send photos of the violin and bow?

About the soundpost, it is possible to change or replace a soundpost. Many luthiers will replace the soundpost whenever they carve a new bridge. It is not uncommon to replace an ill-fitting, cracked or split soundpost, or a soundpost that is the wrong diameter. You should talk with your luthier about this. If the soundpost was changed there might have been a good reason for it. A good luthier is willing and able to justify the work that was performed on an instrument. Most luthiers are willing to work with you on the adjustment of the instrument to get the sound to your liking. It is usually best to make an appointment with your luthier for this.


Your Question:
Hi I was wondering if you had any info on a violin made by Ludwig Koschat? and the value of this violin? It was made it 1912.


My Answer:
Ludwig Koschat violins were "trade" instruments made circa 1900. The quality of the photos don't allow enough detail for an accurate assessment of this violin. Based on my research the Koschat violins were manufactured in three models: Amati, Stradiavari and Guraneri. Your violin appears to be built on a Stradivari pattern. This model sold for $15-$25 circa 1910. The varnish looks to be spirit (or alcohol) based. You might want to have traditional pegs installed as the mechanical pegs add quite a bit of weight to the instrument which not only makes it heavy but can impair the sound. You have the violin set up with very good strings. Depending on your market I would place the value of this violin at $500-$1,000.

Hans Nebel 1924 Violin

Your Question:
I am trying to decide whether to sell my violin and give the money to a children's charity or donate it to a school so that children who cannot afford a violin can learn how to play one I have owned this violin since 1966 and it is in a good case, good condition, and the inside label says: Hans Nebel, Violinmaker, Philadelphia 1924. Is this likely a violin that I should donate to a school or sell? Also, is there a range that I should expect? Thank you for any input. Donna

My Answer:
Donna, Thank you for your inquiry. I can tell you that Hans Nebel (Sr.) was born in Mittenwald, Germany in 1892. He worked in Vienna, Stuttgart and for the famed Wurlitzer shop in New York, until he returned to Mittenwald in 1945. His son Hans Nebel (Jr.), whom I have studied violin repair with (shown above), is working in New Jersey. I have done a little research on value and this violin, assuming good condition and authenticity, is in the $5,000-$10,000 range, possibly more depending upon the market.

It would, in deed, be a very generous donation to a school. You might want to explore the possibility of selling the violin. Keep in mind that if you sell it to a dealer or at auction you probably won't get top dollar for it. Another option would be to consign the violin through a reputable violin shop. Many shops will take a 20-25% commission and will charge for any work that is needed to put the violin into sellable condition. If you consign the violin it may take a while for the instrument to sell, but ultimately may net you more money. If you want to sell it quickly then selling directly to a dealer or at auction would be a faster option.

It sounds like a lovely instrument and I wish you the best with your decision.

Simply Violin Appraisal -- a Montagnana Copy

Message: I found your web site more informative than any other I have gone to. The violin I have, has a sticker inside. It says Dommicus Montagnana Sub Signo Cremonae Venetia 17 made in Germany. Is it worth restoring? It is in very good shape. Needs stings and bows need it too.



The Violin Dealer: When I try to enlarge the photos to see better detail they get too pixelated to see very well. From what I can tell it looks like the violin has two rather large top cracks. One of the cracks looks to be a bass bar (inside the violin) crack. Those are difficult to fix and the repair usually involves removing the top of the violin to do the repair. If I am correct about the top cracks then I would say that the repairs would exceed the value of the instrument. In addition, I'm not convinced that the fingerboard is ebony. If a violin has an ebony fingerboard that gives a good indication of quality. The violin also needs a new set of pegs in addition to set up work, bridge, sound post, strings, etc. This violin appears to be a Germany made copy of a Montagnana (pre-World War II) made circa 1900 - 1920. When this violin was new it probably sold for $10-$15. In today's market (in the midwest, USA) in excellent condition it would be worth $300-$700. Depending on the shop that did the restoration for you, the repairs could run $1,000 to $3,000 or more.

I can't see enough detail on the bows but I'd guess that the bow in the bottom bow holder is an inexpensive brazilwood bow with a half-mounted frog. It might be worth doing a rehair on it if there is no or minimal warping in the stick. This bow could have a a value of $100-$150 in good condition. The bow in the top bow holder could either be a pernambuco (type of wood) bow or an inexpensive Japanese cherrywood bow. If it is a pernambuco bow, depending upon condition it might be worthwhile to put into playing condition and could be worth $200-$300. If it is stamped Japan and is cherrywood, then generally those bows have little value today, and I would not recommend having a rehair or any other work done on it.

Is it a Stradivarius? An Appraisal

As a violin dealer, I often am asked whether an old violin owned by a customer might be a Stradivarius. The following is an appraisal of an instrument of the kind typically brought to me labeled inside as a Stradivarius. Is it a real Strad? Read on and find out!

Appraisal dated January 31, 2010

Dear Jeff,

Thank you for your inquiry about your violin. I have examined the photos and will offer you my opinion on your instrument. Disclaimer: It is always difficult to do a complete assessment of an instrument through photos.

General Remarks: Your violin appears to be a copy of a Stradivari made circa 1900. My guess is that it was made in Germany although it could have been made in Czechoslovakia. The borders were not as defined during that era as they are today. From the photos, the violin appears to be in reasonably good shape although I did note a few top cracks. There did not appear to be any soundpost cracks in the top or back, which is good. The other cracks can be repaired should you choose to do so. In addition the violin is in need of standard set-up work, which would include new pegs, nut, plane fingerboard, bridge, soundpost, tailpiece, tail wire, fine tuner(s), end button and strings. The violin appears to need a few corner grafts and some cosmetic work such as cleaning and retouch. From what I can tell both bows would be more cost effective to replace than to fix.

Specifics:


1. It is hard to see in this photo but there is a crack ascending from the saddle on the right side. Also there is a crack that originates from under the chinrest. Because of the angle this photo was taken the ff holes appear to be elongated and resemble Guarneri ff holes rather than Stradivari, but I think if the photo were taken straight on they would resemble Stradivari ff holes. Also the fingerboard appears to be ebony (rather than maple dyed black) and the purfling (the alternating black and white strips around the edge) is inlaid. This gives an indication of the quality of the instrument. Strad copies circa 1900 were made by the thousands and of varying degrees of quality. The very cheap copies did not have ebony fingerboards, or pegs and did not have inlaid purfling.



2. This ff hole resembles a Stradivari ff hole and it is easy to see that the purfling is inlaid. To restore this violin to pristine condition both corners in this photo should have a corner graft, which is where new wood is added and varnished to bring the corners back to the original condition. There is also a bit of denting in the C bout. This could be steamed to bring out the crushed wood and then retouched with varnish to make it look great. This would be for cosmetic purposes.




3. This photo shows the neck joint and the ebony fingerboard. This is shot helps to date the violin because the original varnish is unbroken where the neck joins the ribs and the back button. If the violin were made prior to 1850 the neck and fingerboard would be short (ie baroque) or the original neck would have been replaced to bring the violin to modern standards which would include a higher neck projection and a longer neck and fingerboard.



4. I cannot make out the stamp on this bow but I suspect that it says Japan. It appears to be a cherrywood stick. This was a very inexpensive bow in it’s day and the repairs needed would greatly exceed the value of this bow. To most dealers this bow has no “salvage” value.



5. This photo does not show much detail but an educated guess would be that this is a brazilwood bow of German origin. If you look carefully on the stick behind the frog you may see the word “GERMANY” stamped into the stick. It appears that the hair has been left tight for many years and there is significant warping in the stick of the bow, both under the winding and I suspect further down on the stick. The ebony frog appears to be nickel mounted. Better bows generally have silver mountings. As with the other bow, the repairs required to get this bow into playing condition would greatly exceed the value of the bow.

Summary: In my opinion this is a classic “Strad Copy” violin that most violin dealers see on a daily basis. This type of violin was manufactured by the thousands from 1875 to 1940. These instruments were widely distributed by mail-order venues such as Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Ward. There were various grades of these violins made. A dealer typically looks at overall workmanship and other quality indicators such as inlaid purfling and if the fingerboard is ebony, also if the varnish is spirit (alcohol) or oil based. I will not offer a repair estimate on this violin because that can vary from shop to shop and from region to region. In perfect condition this violin could sell for anywhere from $200.00 to $2,000.00 and again that depends upon the region, the dealer and the market. Keep in mind that an object is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it. In the mid-west (USA) this violin, in good playable condition, should sell for $600.00 - $1,000.00.

Respectfully submitted,
Sheila Graves
Violin Dealer, Simply Violin

Have You Found a Stradivarius

So, you've found or inherited an old violin. You look inside and the first thing that you see is the label, which is affixed to the back of the instrument and can be viewed through the "ff" holes. What does the label say? Odds are quite good that it says "Antonius Stradivarius Cremonenfis Faciebat Anno 17XX". So, have you just won the lottery? Do you have an instrument worth millions of dollars? Unfortunately chances are good that what you have is a copy of a Stradivari, which was likely made in Germany or Czechoslovakia during the period of 1875 to 1940. These copies, made by the thousands, were manufactured primarily for export, with many of them coming to the United States. They were widely distributed by companies such as Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Ward in a mail order fashion. Most of them were sold as "outfits" or "kits," meaning they came with a case, bow, rosin, pitchpipe and a beginning violin book. If your violin doesn't say Stradivarius, it could say Nicolo Amati, Joseph Guarneri, Carlo Bergonzi, J.B. Vuillaume, Steiner, or any number of other well known violin makers. These labels were inserted in the instruments for two reasons: first, to sell the instrument; and, second, to acknowledge that this instrument is (roughly) patterned after one of these great masters of violin making.

How can you tell if you have the real thing? It is fairly easy to identify copies. The first thing an appraiser will do is to look at the quality of workmanship and the varnish. The copies usually do not have the same quality of workmanship or varnish as an original. The appraiser will look at the "ff" holes, the "purfling," and the overall pattern of the instrument. They check to see if the scroll and instrument are symmetrical, if the purfling is inlaid, and how well that has been executed. The next thing to check is the neck and scroll. A violin made prior to 1850 will still have the original short or baroque neck and short fingerboard or will have had a neck graft, which is where the original scroll is carefully removed and a longer neck and fingerboard are installed and the original scroll is reattached. When an appraiser looks at a violin, generally the last thing they look at is the label. Over the years many fake labels have been put into instruments with deception being the number one reason.

If your label says "Germany" or "Czechoslovakia" or some other country, that helps to date the instrument. In 1891, the McKinley Tariff Act required that all items imported by the U.S. state the country of origin. In 1914, the Act was revised and also required the words "Made in." In 1921, the Act was revised again to state that all countries of origin be written in English. There are also other clues which can help further date the instrument such as "Made in Occupied Japan", which would have been 1945 to 1951, or "West Germany" and "East Germany" when Germany was divided. This occurred in 1945 and lasted until the reunification, which started in the summer of 1989.

The burning question remains. Does this violin have any value? There were various grades of copies made. Some of them were made quite crudely, while others have beautiful workmanship. This is where you need the opinion of an expert. The quality of workmanship and varnish in addition to the condition of an instrument greatly affect its value. Your appraiser will assess these things and generally come up with a value based on what the instrument is worth in its current state and what it could be worth if it were put into pristine playing condition. When in doubt, take your treasure to your trusted violin shop for an opinion. You may have to pay for this opinion but if you do have a real Stradivari the information you receive could be priceless.

How often should a violin be re-appraised to account for the increase in valuie?

The re-appraising time line depends on several factors, including the price range that the instrument is in and market conditions. When the economy slows down the market conditions typically slow down and values don't rise as quickly as they do in a good economy. If you have a "fine" instrument, I'd check with your appraiser every couple of years to find out if it is worth having your appraisal updated. Most appraisers will, for insurance purposes, appraise on the high side in order to give you a few years between updates.

One thing to keep in mind is that student instruments typically depreciate with use and wear and tear. Many students falsely think that their instrument should go up in value, when in fact, they usually don't.

Disclaimer: Every appraiser has their own thoughts on value and the rate at which it increases.

How Can I Learn More about the Make and Origin of My Grandfather's Violin?

That is a very good question. The best way to find out about a violin is to take it to a violin shop for an evaluation. Many violins have a label glued to the back on the inside. However, the label is the last thing that a violin expert will look at. It is easy to put a false label in an instrument and therefore they can prove to be very misleading. In some cases a maker will brand their name or mark in an instrument and that can help with identification.

A violin dealer typically has seen hundreds or even thousands of instruments and bases their opinion on their recollection of viewing all of these instruments over time. Because violin forgery has been going on for well over a century, the best way to find out about your instrument is to take it to someone with knowledge in violin identification. The patina of an instrument can help date the violin, however, there are many methods that violin makers use to make new instruments look a few hundred years old. You can look at pictures of instruments in books and on the web but unless you have a well trained eye to spot very small details specific to certain makers chances are good that you could come to some wrong conclusions.

There are thousands of violins in circulation that were made between 1880 and 1930 that have labels from the old masters such as Stradivari, Guarneri, Amati, Steiner, Bergonzi, Schweitzer, Vuillaume, etc. The label in some cases simply means that this instrument was built on that particular maker's pattern and in some cases was meant to deceive the buyer.