Markneukirchen Violin circa 1910-1920 – Beautiful Old Stuff! -CURRENTLY OUT ON TRIAL-

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Don’t let a non-labelled older violin get you to think less of this instrument. This violin rocks. It has a classic older, well played-in violin look because a player loved the sound. Everything on this violin speaks of excellent workmanship at a level that should have been marked with the maker’s name. The instrument is a Stradivarius model grand pattern violin from Markneukirchen, Germany. It is an older violin with great workmanship and a resonant sound. It is puzzling that a maker poured a great deal of time and craftsmanship into this violin without ever placing his name or the firm’s name inside the instrument. Many of these Markneukirchen shops had high standards and quality that was superb, but the maker got no credit.

This violin comes from one of the most famous making areas in Germany which produced an amount of bowed string instruments that were measured by the tonnage being shipped out on the rail lines. If a young man wanted to learn the art of violin making, he would have spent many years there learning the craft. Markneukirchen centered around a historical trade route, and this region was blessed with raw products: spruce tonewood and curly maple. Instrument and bow making grew stronger beginning in the mid 1700’s. By the late 1800’s the making community was the shining star for the northern Germany. They had forests galore and hardworking talented Bohemian immigrants which helped this area to attract apprentices from all over Europe. If they showed promise after just a year they were hired on and became journeymen. This violin was made by no mere first year apprentice. The instrument was made by a talented craftsman. Markneukirchen’s geography in a high mountain region helped the area survive two World Wars and was an area that attracted these young eager men who wanted to devote their working lives to making.

I date our violin from the 1910’s-1920’s. The instrument was made by a very seasoned maker and the workmanship in the fluted sound holes, the arching of the plates, and the scroll, is exceptional. The wood choice is way above average, and the violin has amber/brown varnish on a yellow/amber ground. The top plate has even, straight grain and the back is highly flamed with medium-width flame. The violin shows sign of natural wear – this is an instrument that someone really played and loved. The violin has a few worn areas of varnish and shading areas on the ribs. The varnish work was done by brush, has patina and natural wear encompassed in a classic look. The scroll is hand cut and has some varnish reticulation giving the instrument an even older look. The pegs are friction geared pegs, German Precision pegs in a Swiss model; 21st century engineering meets and joins with a 20th century instrument. The pegs make the violin a breeze to tune, and there is no fine tuner on the E string. It is an older European violin with tons of character and great response off the strings.

Corpus 359.0 mm., Major Width 208.0 mm., Minor Width 168.5 mm., Rib Height 30.0 – 31.0 mm.

The sound is excellent, somewhat meaty with a gutsy mature bottom end. The G and D strings are rich and full sounding. Yup, I like the bottom end. This is something I’d expect from a great Markneukirchen violin. The Stradivarius arching helps the violin produce power throughout all four of the voices. The treble strings also have power that does not disappoint. The violin has a little edge to the tone. In my book that is a Wow! Something you want, some guts that bring out the ringing overtones in a violin. The clarity is nice, and the violin simply speaks. A player will draw a lush, mature sound out of the instrument. The violin checks many boxes: age, sound, ease of playing, German workmanship, and from a storied area of the world. The instrument is perfect for the player looking for an older sound, not bright, and mature in sound.