Cello by Joseph Ian Ross, Pitlochry, 2011
This cello has now sold.
About Joseph Ian Ross
Ian Ross was an incredibly gifted maker based in Pitlochry, Scotland. We were proud to have known Ian: he was a hugely individual and charming man, endlessly talented, and incredibly generous to generations of players. He passed away at the end of February 2023 and we were very grateful to be given the chance by his family to buy the collection of his instruments. These instruments are now being finished in our workshop and added to our catalogue of his work.
Ian´s workshop was a treasure trove of instruments, all stunningly well observed and beautifully made. He had an amazing eye for different models and always has several different models on the go at once. Ian´s instruments are popular with traditional and classical players alike for their very human, expressive qualities.
About the cello
This cello is modeled after the ‘Batta’ Stradivari cello of 1714, Piatigorsky’s preferred instrument. The cello captures the original instrument’s refinement, demonstrating Ian’s exquisite ability as a copyist. The head is particularly skillfully made and is extremely beautiful, both in its shape and the highly figured maple.
The cello has a two piece back of highly-figured, quarter sawn maple with ribs and scroll to match. The front is two pieces of broad-grained spruce and the varnish is golden-amber in colour.
The cello has a length of back of 763 mm.
How does it sound?
This cello has a particularly fantastic lower end: full, rich and enormously powerful. This strength at the bottom of the instrument seems to imbue the upper strings with a fantastic foundation on which to sing, and the result is hugely successful.
Condition
The cello is in original mint condition.