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.

USD 0.0000

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.

USD 0.0000

Rudolf Buchner 16 ½"

sku Product SKU:  8277

Buchner was born in Schoenbach in 1926 and worked with a number of master makers including Roman Teller. He established his own workshop in 1961. Over the years his work has become very popular with musicians.

USD 0.0000

Harry Robbins 16" *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  23064

USD 0.0000

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.

USD 0.0000

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.

USD 0.0000

Douglas Cox 15 ½"

sku Product SKU:  23596

USD 0.0000

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.

USD 0.0000

John Tartaglia, 17"

sku Product SKU:  23658

John Tartaglia was a violist in The Minnesota Orchestra for 31 years starting in 1968. He made a number of instruments including his primary instrument that he used for a number of years.

USD 0.0000

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.

USD 0.0000

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.

USD 0.0000

Giovanni Rosadoni 16 ¼”

sku Product SKU:  10385

Born in 1905, Rosadoni concentrated on viola making. This nice viola represents an exceptional value in a well made Italian instrument.

USD 0.0000

Luigi Villa 16 ½"

sku Product SKU:  7038

Luigi Villa was born in Pesano in 1919. He attended art school and became a sculptor, working in wood. He also began to study violin making on his own while still young. For ten years Villa worked with Pierro Parravicini in Bovisio, one of the most important violin makers of the 20th century, thus continuing the tradition handed down to Parravicini by his teacher, Romeo Antoniazzi. For the rest of his career Luigi Villa operated a violin shop, doing repairs and restorations as well as making fine new instruments.

USD 0.0000

Lawrence Brown 16 ¼"

sku Product SKU:  18819

USD 0.0000

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.

USD 0.0000

Jay Haide l'ancienne Statue Model with European Wood

sku Product SKU:  303SVLA

The á l'ancienne Statue model violas are made by more senior violin makers with finer quality aged wood for musicians requiring the best tone quality.

The Jay Haide á l'ancienne violas are brought to you after years of development. Our proprietary varnish is carefully applied and beautifully antiqued giving each instrument the patina of age, so desired by both musicians and connoisseurs. They are as beautiful tonally as they are visually. The Jay Haide á l'ancienne has been designed for the advanced student and professional who needs an instrument that will compliment and enhance their artistic style. These very special violas are only available in limited numbers, but are worth seeking out.

L'ancienne and Euro l'ancienne violas are available in either the Strad model (narrower, streamlined body, with a brighter sound), or the wider bodied Maggini model, with the distinctive double purfling and darker sound.

USD 0.0000

Isabelle Tabakov & Stephen Lohmann, 16 ⅛ *SOLD*

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.

USD 0.0000

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.

USD 0.0000

Klotz Family 15 ½” *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  23343

One of the most important dynasties of German violin making was the Klotz family of Markneukirchen. Matthias I was born in Markneukirchen in 1653 and was the first maker of the family with the family tradition continuing well into the 20^th. century. This viola dates from the 18^th century and is of the classic Klotz family style. It has an outstanding tone and is of a very comfortable size.

USD 0.0000

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.

USD 0.0000

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.

USD 0.0000

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.

USD 0.0000

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.

USD 0.0000

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.

USD 0.0000