Cello labelled Josef Mayer and Sohne, Erlangen, circa 1985
This cello has now sold.
About Erlangen instruments
Erlangen is a Middle Franconian city in Bavaria with a very interesting link to the violin making world. After World War II, Bavaria as a region was much impoverished by war and poor infrastructure. In October 1945, a guitar maker called Fred Wilfer was asked by the Bavarian state to pave the way for the German violin makers of Schönbach to resettle in the Erlangen region following their expulsion from Czechoslovakia. These luthiers mainly made their home in the village of Bubenreuth,
Interestingly, we have not yet been able to find a record of a workshop bearing the name Josef Mayer in Erlangen: it may well be that the use of an individual name is a marketing ploy, a tactic used widely at the time!
About the cello
This cello was made in Erlangen, West Germany, around 1985. It is a workshop instrument, meaning that it was made by a team of skilled luthiers.
The cello has a two piece back of narrow-flamed maple with ribs and scroll to match. The front is two pieces of medium-grained spruce and the varnish is a rich reddish-brown.
The cello has a length of back of 29 and 3/4 inches, or 756 mm.
How does it sound?
This cello has a big, confident character. It has an excellent range of tonal colours, making it a very good partner for exploring more advanced repertoire. It responds quickly, and has good articulation and a nice cantabile quality to the sound.
Condition
The cello is in excellent condition.