David B. Rockwell Early 20th Century Violin – New York 1915

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Violin maker David Bailey Rockwell (1842-1923) mostly focused on Guarneri models and his own personal model. David Bailey was born in the state of Maine along with his brother Joseph H. Rockwell, who was also a maker. D.B. worked in Boston from 1878-1895, where he owned a number of businesses. D.B. was a self-taught violin maker; he worked in different instrument shops and frequently moved to other cities, including Hartford, Detroit, Chicago, and San Francisco before finally settling in New York. D. B. Rockwell is regarded to have significant talent at making and specifically copying instruments of older Italian masters. In this case a Guarnieri model.

Our violin was made in New York City in 1915 and shows D. B. Rockwell’s significant talent for copying instruments of old Italian masters. This violin is a fine example of Rockwell’s work in excellent condition. His varnish is a deep orange/red oil varnish, and the original varnish is beautifully preserved, and has developed a lovely patina along with natural playing wear. The violin has short slightly upturned corners and fantastic workmanship, with one new corner and a new C bout that was chewed out from the previous New York player’s ferrule who must have been very into Romantic period music. All restored and in great condition, this violin is a gem.

Corpus 357.0 mm., Major Width 201.0 mm., Minor Width 164.0 mm., Rib Height 29.5 mm.

Rockwell clearly has a talent for making and for sound. This is a fantastic violin to play. It has guts where you want it and is brilliant and very responsive. The sound of the violin is more than powerful. It is mature, a strikingly opulent instrument with a great response off the strings. It responds with just the slightest touch from the bow. The sustain and clarity of sound also makes me notice the violin. The high register is exceptional, but the entire range has robust beauty oozing in tonal strength and character. The overtones are warm and full of color; not black and white. This is an exciting instrument to strike with a bow. As a player, I had a big smile when just playing the violin for 15 seconds. Wow! Great sound. I can’t wait to see it in a serious player’s hand.