Bernard Simon Fendt II 15 ¾”

sku Product SKU:  23339

Bernard Fendt was one of the premiere violin makers of London in the 19^th century. After training with his father, he worked with a number of makers before setting up on his own. He is especially noted for the elegance of his workmanship, especially in the superb varnish work with its elegant antiquing. The sound is powerful and smooth, with a quick even response, even on all four strings. The sound is remarkable especially given its manageable size. Included with this viola is a letter from W.E.Hill & Sons London.

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Alfeo Batelli 16 ½”

sku Product SKU:  23768

Born in Sienna, Italy in 1903, Alfeo Batelli studied with Valentino De Zorzi in Florence. He worked with Paoletti Vezio before establishing his own workshop in Florence. He emigrated to Chicago in 1947 working with Kagan & Gaines.  Two years later he moved to Los Angeles and spent the next thirteen years with Hans Weishaar where so many of the best west coast makers perfected their skills. He established his own shop in 1963. He became one of the most important and respected makers on the West Coast.

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Silvio Levaggi 16 ⅜"

sku Product SKU:  20022

One of the finest luthiers working in Cremona today, Levaggi’s instruments are respected for their perfect workmanship and elegant tonal qualities. Before setting up his own workshop in the historic center of Cremona in 2001, he graduated from the Cremona School of Lutherie in 1984 where he studied with Vincenzo Bissolotti, among others. He then worked in Genoa with Carlson-Cacciatori-Neumann’s. He has won countless international prizes over the course of his career, and continues perfecting his craft. This viola was made with special wood from Jay Ifshin’s large stock, and was hand selected by Ifshin and Levaggi for aesthetic beauty and sonorous qualities. It is has a quick response and a smooth, sonorous tone.

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Douglas Cox 15 ½"

sku Product SKU:  23596

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Marilyn Wallin 15 ⅞"

sku Product SKU:  23268

Marilyn Wallin is one of the key figures in American violin making. After receiving a degree in viola performance, she studied violin making with Tschu Ho Lee at the Chicago School of Violin Making, graduating in 1985. Since then she has had a very successful career, wining numerous awards at international competitions. She has also been the president of the Violin Society of America. This viola has an exceptionally fine tone. It is very easy to play, very responsive with that full, even, robust viola tone that so many violists are looking for.

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Caesar Castelli 16 ½"

sku Product SKU:  15613

A student of Constantine Celani and Giuseppe Ornati, Castelli won over a dozen prizes before passing away in 2003 at the age of 91. He worked in his native Ascoli Piceno, making over 200 violins, 70 violas, and 30 cellos. His workmanship is of the highest quality. This viola has a strong, rich tone and is very responsive.

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Miska (Max) Frirsz II, 17"

sku Product SKU:  23634

Max Frirsz studied with his father Max Senior in Budapest. After a number of years in his own Budapest workshop, he moved to Canada in 1956 and to New York in 1958. He is especially well known for his violas. This viola was made for a long time member of the San Francisco Symphony who used it as his primary instrument for most of his career.

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William Bartruff 16" *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  21578

Bill Bartruff has been a violin maker since 1972 and has always specialized in violas. Over the years we’ve offered several of his fine instruments.

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Paul Knorr 16 ½"

sku Product SKU:  23026

After the first world war The violin makers of Markneukirchen produced some of their most exceptional work, of the highest quality of craftsmanship and artistry. Pau Knorr was among the finest makers of his time and today his work is in great demand. After working with Dölling in Markneukirchen He worked with makers in Breslau and Berlin. He returned to Markneukirchen, setting up his own workshop in 1921. This viola is one of the finest we have seen by this inportant maker and is a real joy to play, with a lively and responsive tone.

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Bronek Cison 15 ⅞"

sku Product SKU:  19325

Cison trained as a violin maker in his native Poland, before accepting an invitation from William Harris Lee in Chicago. He has worked there ever since. Cison is especially noted for his violas. And has become one of the most respected makers from this well known workshop.

 

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Carl Albert Muller 16 ⅜"

sku Product SKU:  23028

Albert Muller was one of the better known and respected violin makers in Northern California. He began his apprenticeship with Louis Prince in San Francisco, moving to Los Angeles to work with Abraham Koodlach. He set up his own workshop in San Francisco moving to Sacramento in 1969. Over the years he won a number of awards at Violin Society of America competitions. This viola is an especially fine example of his work. The tone is dark and rich, wonderfully playable with great responsiveness and clarity.

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Isabelle Tabakov & Stephen Lohmann, 16 ⅛

sku Product SKU:  17821

Steve Lohmann studied at the Cremona violin making school and returned to San Francisco, where he worked with Frank Passa then with Boyd Poulsen in San Mateo and Carl Applebaum in Olympia, Washington. He set up his own workshop in Sacramento in 1992. This is an excellent example of Steve’s early work.

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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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John Harrison 16 ¼"

sku Product SKU:  22294

Over the years we have sold several violins by violin maker John Harrison whose workshop is in Redding, California. We have always admired the tone and craftsmanship of his instruments. Normally one would expect a maker of John’s skill and abilities to have a workshop in a large metropolitan area with easy access to a multitude of musicians and bountiful musical activity. Redding is a town of about a hundred thousand inhabitants, a long drive north of the San Francisco Bay Area. In spite of that John has established an excellent reputation as an award winning violin maker with a following among musicians far beyond his home base.

After four years in the U.S. Air Force, John settled in Redding and by 1976 had developed an excellent reputation as a repairer of string instruments. Forty years ago a client brought John some good quality tone wood and the result was his first violin. Since then he’s made over 200 violins, violas and cellos (about six a year). He has been especially influenced by the work of the great old Italian masters and the highly respected more contemporary makers and teachers like Simon Sacconi among other important influencers. He identifies very much with the Italian school of lutherie.

For a violin maker, one of the best ways to establish a reputation is through international violin making competitions and winning a medal or certificate at an important competition is one of the best ways to attract the attention of discerning string players. One of the most important of those competitions is held every other year by the Violin Society of America (VSA). Hundreds of instruments by top makers from all over the world are entered, and winning an award there is quite an achievement. Over the years John has won three silver medals for tone and numerous certificates of achievement in what is always an intense competition. He’s also won awards at competitions like the Violin Makers of British Columbia and the Violin Makers of Arizona International.

John Harrison’s violins, violas and cellos are beautifully crafted using the very finest aged maple and spruce with a superb, transparent varnish. Over the years we’ve been able to offer many fine contemporary Italian violins. John’s instruments share many of their best characteristics both visually and acoustically.  His violins have a full, powerful tone with great depth and warmth and are very responsive and easy to play. Clearly, they have the qualities that many of the top string players are looking for.

After a forty year violin making career, John Harrison has recently decided to retire and we are very fortunate have acquired the collection of his finest violins, a viola and a cello and are pleased to offer them to our clients.

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Carlos Funes 16 3/16"

sku Product SKU:  19575

Carlos Funes Vitanza is a well known maker in San Francisco. He did his training at the violin making school in Cremona, Italy and has worked in the SF Bay Area ever since.

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Carlos Funes 16 ⅜"  

sku Product SKU:  19576

16 3/8" Carlos Funes Vitanza is a well known maker in San Francisco. He did his training at the violin making school in Cremona, Italy and has worked in the SF Bay Area ever since.

  

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Clifford Roberts 16 ½"

sku Product SKU:  17549

After studying in Cremona for several years, Clifford settled in Philadelphia. Although he suffered from a rare neuromuscular disorder, he crafted over 60 violas, all of a high caliber. Among his customers were members of the Julliard String Quartet and the Philadelphia Orchestra. This viola is a superb example of his work, with characteristic plain wood and a rich, dark tone.

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Jay Ifshin 16 ½"

sku Product SKU:  2185

1982

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Shahram & Saeid Rezvani 16"

sku Product SKU:  18343

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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Lawrence Cocker 16 ½"

sku Product SKU:  22722

Lawrence Cocker was highly respected by both musicians and his fellow violin makers all over England. He won a Diploma of Honour at the Hague in 1947. Cocker worked with violist Lionel Tertis in developing the "Tertis Model" viola of which this viola is an excellent example.

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Aegidius Klotz 17 ¼” *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  23527

The Klotz family of violin makers was founded by Matthias (1653-1743) and continued on through the first part of the 20^th Century. Aegidius Klotz (1733-1805) is considered one of the best makers of the family. This viola is of large proportions and has a big full sound of excellent quality.

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Giovanni Astori 16 ½”

sku Product SKU:  17228

Giovanni Astori graduated from the prestigious International School of Violin Making in Cremona in 1979. This beautifully crafted viola has an excellent even, balanced tone which is clear and rich.

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Giovanni Pallaver 16 ½"

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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Michael Scoggins 16 ⅞"

sku Product SKU:  23437

Born in England, Michael Scoggins started playing the violin at the age of eight. He studied violin performance in college. After emigrating to America, he studied violin making at the Salt Lake school graduating in 1982. He worked for Peter Prier managing his shop until 1984. He then set up his own workshop in Salt Lake. This viola has a wonderful, powerful tone. The back is of poplar which he frequently used.

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