Violin by William Rankine, Turriff, 1877

Violin by William Rankine, Turriff, 1877

About William Rankine

William Rankine (sometimes written as Rankin) was born on the 13th of February 1811 in Old Pitsligo and baptised in Pitsligo on the 2nd March. He served in the Gordon Highlanders before settling in Turriff, a town in Aberdeenshire about 30 miles from Aberdeen.

Rankin was employed as a gardener for most of his life, putting him in the ranks of those talented makers who were only able to devote part of their time to their craft. His work is charming and of very high quality, bringing to mind the earlier Aberdeen makers who came before him.

About the violin

This violin was made in Turriff in 1877 and is built on a personal model which references the earlier makers of the area.

The violin has a two piece back of quarter sawn maple with ribs and scroll to match. The front is two pieces of very finely grained spruce and the varnish is a gently shaded golden-brown.

The violin has a length of back of 357 mm.

How does it sound?

This violin rings incredibly well! It's extremely smooth to play, with a dark, rich voice. It projects brilliantly, keeping true to its warm chocolatey voice even far away.

Condition

The violin is in good condition and has undergone a complete condition assessment in our workshop.

Further information

Please get in touch for more details about this antique Scottish violin by William Rankine of Turriff for sale and a member of our team will get back to you.

More information

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