Markneukirchen One-Piece Back Violin circa 1920-1930 WOW!

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We have a non-labeled well-made Stradivarius model violin from Markneukirchen, Germany. Yes, 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 levels of quality and standards to adhere to. This is one of those instruments. This violin comes from one of the most famous German
making areas which produced an amount of bowed string instruments that was measured by the tonnage being shipped out on the rail lines. If you yearned to be an apprentice and had the carving skills and engineering mind you would have spent many years there in a workshop learning and perfecting your craft. The economics of Markneukirchen centered around a historical trade route. As instrument and bow making grew stronger beginning in the late 1700’s, the already established trade routes made it easy to market instruments to the world. Its geography in the high mountain region helped the area survive two World Wars and was an area blessed with an unbelievable wood source. I date our violin somewhere between 1920 to 1930.

The instrument was made by a seasoned maker and the workmanship on the entire violin is way above what I call average. This violin is a knockout! A total sleeper that deserved to have the maker’s name and label. The scroll is cut very well, the lines are clean, and the arching of the plates is right on. The wood choice is exceptional too. The violin has amber/ brown varnish with a hint of orange/red in the darker varnish. The varnish has aged well, and the patina is evident all on a golden yellow/amber ground. The varnish has a traditional classic look that accents the one-piece back with its beautiful medium-width flame. We have gone over the entire violin here in our workshop with a new set up: pegs, nut, camber, soundpost, bridge, tailpiece, and chin rest. A great instrument for someone looking to get into an older European violin. It oozes lots of character.

Corpus 355.0 mm., Major Width 205.5 mm., Minor Width 165.5 mm., Rib Height 29.0 -30.0 mm.

The sound is beautiful, the response off the strings, especially on the low strings, with a bow is gorgeous. The sound is somewhat meaty with a gutsy mature bottom end. The G and D strings are rich and full sounding, exhibiting great sustain. I love the bottom end. This is something I’d expect from a great Markneukirchen violin. The Stradivarius lower arching helps the violin produce power throughout all four of the voices. The treble strings have the same focused power that will not disappoint. A brilliant clarity to the E and A strings. The sound has a little edge, which brings out the ringing overtones of the violin. The sound is clean and speaks. An impressive overall sound that will bring a smile to your face once you begin playing.