Andrus Faruolo

sku Product SKU:  23308

Andrus Faruolo descends from a family of instrument makers in Italy. His work is well known on the East Coast, For many years he was the Luthier in residence at the Meadowmount School of Music in New York, with letters of recognition from faculty members like Josef Gingold.

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Maurizio Tadioli

sku Product SKU:  23351

Born in 1967, Maurizio worked with his grandfather Carlo Pizzamaglio then graduated from The Cremona School of Violin Making in 1985. He has gone on to win many awards and medals at international competitions. This is an interesting example of his early work and has a certificate from Chris Reuning.

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Douglas Raguse *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  22056

One of the best American bowmakers, Raguse has made over 1100 bows. He studied with Lloyd Liu and Bill Salchow before setting up on his own in Chicago, and later in Michigan. He has won a dozen awards at various competitions, including gold medal at the VSA in 1980. This bow is an excellent example of Raguse's work.

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Ferdinand Gagliano

sku Product SKU:  22396

The Gagliano family of makers (14 in all) dominated violin making in Naples for almost two centuries, from about 1700 to 1886. Ferdinando trained with his uncle Gennaro, but his work shows the influence of both his father Nicolo and his uncle. This violin has exceptional tonal qualities, suitable for a top professional violinist.

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Shahram & Saeid Rezvani 16" *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  22344

Over the last 25 years the brothers Rezvani have made more than 500 violins, violas, and cellos. They began their studies in Iran with Ibrahim Ghambari Mehr, ex-student of the Parisian master, Etienne Vatelot, and later in Vienna with Johann Rombach. They continue perfecting their art as members of the Violin Society of America, working with such masters as Joseph Curtin. Now based in Los Angeles, they produce excellent instruments. Their work is very characteristic, resonant and sweet, easy to play, rich in tone color. We currently have 2 fine violas, both of which are quite responsive and represent a great value for the performing musician.

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R. L. Steenburgen

sku Product SKU:  22414

Highly respected for his work,Randy Steenburgen has won several gold medals at Violin Society of America (VSA) competitions, perhaps the most important in the world. This is a beautifully made bow, typical of his high level of craftsmanship.

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Meyers-Halverson

sku Product SKU:  20853

Anders Halverson emigrated from Sweden to Chicago in 1924 to work for Lewis & Son, then moved to Nashville, Michigan two years later. He established a shop with William Meyers which became popular with musicians across the Midwest.

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Léon Mougenot

sku Product SKU:  21035

The Mougenot family of violin makers goes back to the 17th century. Léon worked with E.Laurent in Brussels, Blanchard in Lyon and W.E.Hill and Sons in London before establishing his own shop in Mirecourt in 1899. His work has always been highly respected for his very fine workmanship.

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Caussin Workshop *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  18777

The Caussin workshop in Neufchâteau (near Mirecourt) produced excellent instruments from 1830 until the end of the 19th. Century. Over the years we have been able to offer a number of these fine and very interesting instruments.

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Thomassin branded Caressa Francais *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  20719

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Tschu Ho Lee

sku Product SKU:  20724

Master violin maker Tschu Ho Lee has been the director of the Chicago School of Violin Making since 1980 and has taught a generation of violin makers, many of whom have become famous in their own right. Originally from Korea, Mr. Lee graduated from the Mittenwald violin making school and got his master’s certificate before coming to Chicago

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Labeled Joannes Baptista Martinelli *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  19352

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Luigi Villa

sku Product SKU:  7028

Gustave Villaume

sku Product SKU:  12094

Gustave Villaume was born in Mirecourt and studied with Mougenot and Jacquet Gand before going to Paris to work with Caressa & Français. After moving to Nancy, he won numerous awards for his work.

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Lapo Casini

sku Product SKU:  23930

The son of Serafino Casini, Lapo studied with his father as well as Ferdinando Del Perugia. He worked primarily in the style of the 18^th. century Florentine makers and won a number of awards for his instruments. He was also known for his skill in violin restoration and his research in the varnish of the old Italian masters and published a book on his findings in 1954. 

The violin has that great Italian sound, strong with a wonderful singing quality.

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Leopold Renaudin 15 ½”

sku Product SKU:  24232

This fascinating luthier had an interesting but sadly brief career. Born in Saint-Remy near Mirecourt, Renaudin went to Paris at age 16, doing his apprenticeship there rather than in his native Mirecourt. He was appointed luthier to the Paris Conservatory and is known to have made a cello for Luigi Boccherini. He was a victim of the French Revolution in 1795.

While the body of this viola is only 15 ½ inches and very comfortable to play, it has a wonderful big sound that one would associate with a much bigger instrument that projects well and is a joy to play. This wonderful viola is in remarkable condition for an almost 250 year old viola in that there are no cracks!  Formerly in The Millant collection.

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Sharam & Saeid Rezvani 16"

sku Product SKU:  23775

Over the last 25 years the brothers Rezvani have made more than 500 violins, violas, and cellos. They began their studies in Iran with Ibrahim Ghambari Mehr, ex-student of the Parisian master, Etienne Vatelot, and later in Vienna with Johann Rombach. They continue perfecting their art as members of the Violin Society of America, working with such masters as Joseph Curtin. Now based in Los Angeles, they produce excellent instruments. Their work is very characteristic, resonant and sweet, easy to play, rich in tone color. 

This viola is quite responsive and represents a great value for the performing musician.

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Haide Lin

sku Product SKU:  24233

Haide Lin has been associated with Ifshin Violins for almost forty years. After his training in Guangzhou, he began teaching violin making. In 1986 Jay Ifshin invited Haide to join Ifshin Violins and he’s managed our repair and restoration workshop ever since. He helped establish our Guangzhou workshop, home of our famous Jay Haide instruments. Over the years, Haide has won numerous medals and certificates at the prestigious Violin Society of America competitions and has become one of the most respected violin makers in this country

The cello has a wonderful resonant with great tone color with excellent projection. It’s a real joy to play. One would normally expect to pay quite a bit more for a cello with these excellent tonal qualities.

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Joseph Klotz

sku Product SKU:  24127

The Klotz family of violin makers spanned five generations, starting in 1653 and continuing till well after the Second World War with 26 members. Joseph, son of Sebastian, was born in 1743 His work is fairly rare but of high quality, among the best makers of this highly important violin making family.

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David Caron 16 3/8”

sku Product SKU:  23757

Born and raised in Chicago, David came from a very musical family and began studying the cello at a young age. After High School,  he began working at Kagan & Gaines in Chicago and spent several years working with Franz Kinberg , one of the best makers  of the mid twentieth Century who created especially fine violas. He then worked with a partner at a shop in Champaign-Urbana. In 1971he set up his own workshop in Dallas. In 1989, tiring of big city life, he moved to Taos, New Mexico.  

This exceptional viola has a big rich lovely sound but with a fine crisp responsive quality.

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Mermillot Workshop

sku Product SKU:  23456

Maurice Mermillot worked with a number of important makers. He started out with Gaillard in Mirecourt and then went to Paris and worked with Buthod. Going back to Mirecourt, he was associated with Nicolas Vuillaume. He also spent time with Antonio Guadagnini in Turin while he was in Military service, later making instruments for him. He returned to Paris and worked with Gand & Bernardel, opening his own workshop there in 1876. This beautiful violin has a big dark, clear tone.

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Jacques Thibout

sku Product SKU:  23497

Jacques Thibout was the best and most respected maker of the nine members of the Thibout family of violin makers.  He worked with Koliker in Paris starting in 1796. He set up his own Parisian shop in 1807. He had an illustrious career and was appointed the luthier to the opera, conservatoire and the Royal Court. He was awarded medals at the Paris expositions of 1827, 1844 and 1855. 

This beautiful violin has an exceptional tone, clear, ringing and very easy to play.

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Old French

sku Product SKU:  12200

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Ernst Heinrich Roth *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  23889

Some of our favorite German Violins are the Ernst Heinrich Roths from the 1920’s. This is an especially nice example. Modeled after a Stradivarius of 1725, it is Roth’s model VR, the very best of their line of fine violins. (use text for Roth Violin I-19250)

The town of Markneukirchen in Saxony has been famous for violin making since the mid 1600s when the first violin making guild was formed. By the late 1800s more than a quarter of a million string instruments a year were being shipped all over the world with almost half the production coming to the U.S. After WWI, production in Markneukirchen dropped significantly but the companies that remained started to concentrate on the making of higher quality instruments. At the beginning of the 1920s. Ernst Heinrich Roth I (1877-1948) took over the operation of the Roth family firm and began to produce violins of exceptional quality. These fine violins were so popular in America that Ernst Heinrich sent his son Ernst Heinrich II (1890-1961) to this country to represent the firm. By the 1930’s, production decreased due to the rise of Nazism and the war. In spite of that, we still see fine Roth violins from the 30’s and even the late 40’s. Under Communist rule, the firm was taken over by the government and their building confiscated. In 1953, the business was re-established in Bubenreuth, West Germany and they began production of high quality violins, violas, cellos and bows.

Today, Ernst Heinrich Roth violins from the 1920’s are in great demand because of their exceptional quality and are increasing in value. Although originally the 1920s Roth violins were made in 13 different quality grades (reproductions of works of famous Cremonese violins by Stradivari, Guarneri and Amati), there is actually little difference in the different models in terms of quality. Some of these violins are labeled Eugen Meinel and are similar to the Roth violins and have comparable value.

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