Michael Darnton

sku Product SKU:  22580

As a child, Michael started playing the cello but found that he was more interested in the instruments themselves than learning to play them. As a young man he was a professional photographer but soon started working at major violin shops in Chicago doing repairs and restorations, starting his career as a maker. He also worked with Tetsuo Matsuda and William Whedbee, perfecting his lutherie skills. In 2005, he joined forces with Stefan Hersh, forming Darnton & Hersh in downtown Chicago.

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Michael Darnton

sku Product SKU:  22579

As a child, Michael started playing the cello but found that he was more interested in the instruments themselves than learning to play them. As a young man he was a professional photographer but soon started working at major violin shops in Chicago doing repairs and restorations, starting his career as a maker. He also worked with Tetsuo Matsuda and William Whedbee, perfecting his lutherie skills. In 2005, he joined forces with Stefan Hersh, forming Darnton & Hersh in downtown Chicago.

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Sam Billings

sku Product SKU:  22578

After graduating from the Chicago School of Violin Making, Sam Billings worked in the Chicago area and was represented by major Chicago violin shops including Kenneth Warren and Sons and Bein & Fushi. His violins have been acquired by a number of important musicians for example, the first violinist of the Takács Quartet.

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Ekhart Richter 16"

sku Product SKU:  12777

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Ernst Heinrich Roth 16"

sku Product SKU:  18910

Since the early 1920's the firm of Ernst Heinrich Roth has been one of the most important makers of fine stringed instruments in the world. We are always pleased to offer their fine violins, violas, and cellos.

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Fine old German 15.5"

sku Product SKU:  20273

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Robert Halliday 16 1/4"

sku Product SKU:  20588

Halliday worked originally in Ohio from the early 1900's, later moving to Chicago, where some of America's finest makers worked.

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John Juzek 16 3/8"

sku Product SKU:  20736

The John Juzek violins, violas and cellos have been made since 1900 and have always been highly respected for their high quality. They have been widely known in this country since 1920 when Metropolitan Music was formed in New York by the Juzek family.

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Giovanni Pallaver 16.5"

sku Product SKU:  18695

Giovanni Pallaver studied with Andrea Bisiach and R.Capsoni in Milan before moving to Verona. He was respected for his excellent work on the classical models.

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Fine old French with Stradivarius label

sku Product SKU:  11267

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Heberlein workshop

sku Product SKU:  22351

Heberlein workshop, labeled Friedrich August Heberlein, Markneukirchen

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French viola branded Landrian 16 1/8"

sku Product SKU:  3517

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Thomas Hoyer

sku Product SKU:  22521

The Hoyer family of violin makers goes all the way back to the 1750's. After the second world war, the family moved from Schoenbach in Bohemia to Bubenreuth. Thomas studied with his father Georg Hoyer and received his Master's Certificate from the Mittenwald violin making school in 1998. The back and ribs of this cello are crafted from pearwood.

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Andrea Caccia

sku Product SKU:  22510

Andrea Caccia began his career spending time in the workshop of his uncle Mario Gadda who determined that Andrea had a gift for violin making. After ten years in Mario's workshop, Andrea opened his own shop in 2004 and has since become very successful. His work is very personal but follows the Mantua tradition through Gaetano and Mario Gadda back to Gaetano's teacher the great Stefano Scarampella.

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Georges Apparut

sku Product SKU:  4054

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William Moennig & Sons

sku Product SKU:  22492

For over one hundred years (1909-2010) the firm of William Moennig & Sons was one of the most important violin dealers in this country. Over the years they employed some of the best makers in this country. They also had close relationships with some the finest violin makers in Markneukirchen (due in part to the fact that William Jr. studied violin making there before the second world war) and they were able to get many of the finest violins from those makers after the second world war. This is an especially fine violin and is in almost perfect condition.

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Sam Billings

sku Product SKU:  22577

After graduating from the Chicago School of Violin Making, Sam Billings worked in the Chicago area and was represented by major Chicago violin shops including Kenneth Warren and Sons and Bein & Fushi. His violins have been acquired by a number of important musicians for example, the first violinist of the Takács Quartet.

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Greg T. Alf

sku Product SKU:  22576

Born in Los Angeles, Greg Alf went to Cremona to study at the famous violin making school at the age of 19. He spent eight years in Italy perfecting his skills. When he returned to this country, he joined with Joseph Curtin forming the firm of Curtin & Alf in Ann Arbor. Greg now lives and works in Venice, Italy. Over the years he has become one of the most important and influential figures in violin making, not just in this country but all over the world and has won more awards and medals for his work than we have room to mention!

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Raymond Melanson

sku Product SKU:  22575

Ray Melanson has become one of the best known and important violin makers in this country. Having studied art and violin performance, he began his career in the 1970's working with Hans Nebel and Arnold Bone doing repairs and restorations of fine instruments and bows. He then went to the Salt Lake violin making school. Starting in 1983, he spent four years teaching at the North Bennett St violin making school. Since then he has won 14 medals at Violin Society of America competitions. His instruments are owned by a number of famous soloists and members of major symphony orchestras.

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David Rubio

sku Product SKU:  22574

Born in London, David started his studies in medical school and intended to become a surgeon but discovered that being color blind, surgery would be impossible. Instead, he went in an entirely different direction, becoming a flamenco guitarist with a gypsy group in Spain. He then started making guitars, then harpsichords and baroque violins. He moved to Cambridge in 1979 and concentrated on violin making, developing an excellent reputation for his instruments. David died in 2000 at the age of 65.

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David Rubio

sku Product SKU:  22573

Born in London, David started his studies in medical school and intended to become a surgeon but discovered that being color blind, surgery would be impossible. Instead, he went in an entirely different direction, becoming a flamenco guitarist with a gypsy group in Spain. He then started making guitars, then harpsichords and baroque violins. He moved to Cambridge in 1979 and concentrated on violin making, developing an excellent reputation for his instruments. David died in 2000 at the age of 65.

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Neil Kristof Ertz

sku Product SKU:  22572

Neil Ertz was born in Scotland in 1966. He studied at the Newark School of Violin Making and after graduation  worked at a number of important violin shops in Holland, France and Germany. In '92 he returned to England to work with Roger Hargrave making detailed copies of the work of the great classic makers. He moved to Cambridge in 1997 and then to Edinburgh in 2009. Sadly Neil passed away in 2016 at the age of only 50. This beautifully crafted violin is built on the Guarneri model.

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Neil Kristof Ertz

sku Product SKU:  22571

Neil Ertz was born in Scotland in 1966. He studied at the Newark School of Violin Making and after graduation worked at a number of important violin shops in Holland, France and Germany. In '92 he returned to England to work with Roger Hargrave making detailed copies of the work of the great classic makers. He moved to Cambridge in 1997 and then to Edinburgh in 2009. Sadly Neil passed away in 2016 at the age of only 50.This beautifully crafted violin is based on the work of Antonio Stradivari.

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Francis Kuttner

sku Product SKU:  7730

An interesting early work by Francis Kuttner who studied at the violin making school in Cremona.

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