Other brands of violins and fiddles.

Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2003 04:13:03 -0800 (PST)

Dear John:

I am currently on the road, with my reference
materials back at the shop. I can still shed a little
light on these instruments.

1) Excelsior-copy of Jacobus Stainer
Fecit Dresdae. Anno
18

Most likely to be a late 19th C to early 20th C
violin. Built in Dresden. The quality is usually
fairly decent.

2) Eruts (?) Heinrich Roth
Bebuenruth-Erlangen 1956
Reproduction of Antonius Stradivarious
Cremona 1722

Good grade German trade violin from 1956.

3) This Violin was called a Junior violin by my
father because it
is smaller than
the others that we have.
Antonius Stradivarious
Cremonis
FACIEBAT Anno 172?

The label is undiagnostic.

4) The last Violin was brought over from Sweden
by my Grandfather
in the early 1900's. There is no label inside of
it that I can
see. The only mark of any kind is the name HOPF
which is stamped
on the back side just below the neck.

The vast majority of the "Hopf" branded violins are
average quality German trade violins. Some are
actually by a known Hopf; there were many makers in
the family. Look inside for a brand or other
distinctive markings.

Stephen Perry

Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 21:05:31 -0400

I am sending this in regards that you could answer a few questions for me. I have a fiddle that has the brand/name of
STRAINER on the inside and the outside. The age of the instrument is over a hundred years old at least. Could you please reply with any
information that you would know about the instrument. Thank You, Jerry Foster

Jerry, On behalf of Folk of the Wood, I'm answering your question on the Stainer violin. The original Stainer violins from the 17th Century were highly sought after in the 18th C, even more than Stradivari violins. Copies were made in Germany and the Tyrol up to WWII. The real Stainer violins are extremely rare; the ones I've seen are not branded on the back. In contrast, 100s of thousands of copies have been made. See http://www.si.edu/resource/faq/nmah/violstai.htm for additional information

The basic Stainer model is quite good when well-executed, but many copies are crude inside and do not perform well. The best make excellent Celtic and Bluegrass fiddles. You'll see many examples at www.ebay.com and can compare yours. If yours has highly figured wood, very fine work, and seems of excellent quality by all means take it to a good violin shop or send me images for additional suggestions.

Stainer copies are sometime worth nothing, often worth a few hundred dollars in good shape and restored, and sometimes worth substantially more.

I hope this information is useful. Feel free to contact me with any more-detailed questions.

Steve Perry for Folk of the Wood