Violin made in Mittenwald, Circa 1870
This violin has now sold.
About Mittenwald violins
Mittenwald is a small town in Bavaria and has been one of the centres of German violin making since the mid-17th century. The first violin maker to set up his workshop in the town was Matthias Klotz, father of the enormous Klotz dynasty. By the mid-1850s there were more than 25 luthiers with the surname Klotz registered to the town!
Other luthiers also flocked to the area, attracted not only by its reputation but also by the availability of locally grown spruce and maple which grew near to the small town in the mountains. This wood was of extremely high quality, comparable to that of Alpine wood used by the Italian masters.
About the violin
This violin was made around 1870. It may be interesting to compare this instrument to a Mittenwald viola of the same period: this can be seen here. Both instruments are examples of high-quality Mittenwald making, both in the rich, dark varnish and the quality of the workmanship.
The two piece back is of medium-flamed maple and the front is two pieces of very fine-grained spruce. The varnish is a rich chocolate colour laid over a lighter golden ground. The violin is modelled after the instruments of Stradivari and the length of back is 354 mm.
How does it sound?
The sound is very much not for everyone: this is one of the warmest, richest and chocolatiest instruments in the shop!
Condition
This violin has been well-loved and restored in its time, perhaps because it sounds so fantastic. The extensive repairs are reflected in the price and mean that this violin offers excellent value for money. The instrument comes with a full condition report.