V.com weekend vote: Where was your violin or stringed instrument made?
I find it amazing to think about where my violins were made -- and how far they traveled to wind up in my hands!
Under my roof, I have violins made in Italy, Germany and Japan. I used to have one made in Montana, in the United States. If I add my students' instruments to this mix, I'm sure I could also include China, Romania, more United States and Japan...probably more!
Of course, the origin of your violin is not the same thing as where you bought it; to find out where it is from, look inside the instrument, on the label, which usually will tell you. If it doesn't, then you can ask the person from whom you bought it. The best luthiers are able to recognize an instruments origins simply from looking at it!
For the poll, please tell us where your violin was made. If you have more than one, tell us about your main violin, the one you use most often, and then tell us about the others in the comments below. Also, if your answer is "somewhere else," tell us where it is from in the comments below!
Tweet
Replies
Boston, Mass., 1897.
Main violin: Canada (Isabelle Wilbaux http://www.wilbaux.com/)
Second: Germany (Roth http://www.roth-violins.de/)
Silent violin: Japan (Yamaha)
Italy, 1954
France mid 1800
Hungary,21st century
Cremona, Italy 1984
UK 1996
Mine looks like an European made student violin of about a century back, but I cannot say for sure. It only said "Paganini violin" on a label. And one can say for certain it wasn't made in China. I am grateful nonetheless, since it has a warm and good sound, and plays decent, without having costed me an arm and a leg.
E. van Niekerk
(South Africa)
best one from Japan, 3/4 and full size from Germany, folk violin from USA, 1 from Slovakia
Germany.
I own two Jay Haide violins (US/China), both purchased within the last three years. The first one was made in 2004 and the second one (my primary instrument) was made in 2013. I also own two other violins (France and Germany), both made circa 1890's.
Romania 2012
My daily driver is French, built in 1908. Then I have two Germans (both 1890s), and a Chinese violin (2005). My viola (2015) is German also.
France in 1895.
Two from Germany: Dresden - 1869; Frankfurt - 1883. One from France - 1921.
italy, cremona
Primary, France late 1800s
Backup, China, 2015
Austrian (1840);French (1880s); English (1870s);
Romania.....and another one I still have is a 250 year old Italian....wish I owned the thing !
My violin was made in the 20's in Hoquiam, Wa. My viola was made in Prague and my cello was made in Germany.
Reghin, Romania, 2014.
Realist...Romania, very recently
In my basement. I made it myself.
Japan - Kono
Russia, exelent viola made by master Yarovoy
Santa Fe 1930
My violin came to America with my wife's great grandfather in the late 1800's. It is a German maker following a flat strad design. It boasts a fair amount of intarsia. It plays well enough for my needs and we have become fast friends over the past 40 years. Many adjustments and repairs to bring it up to its current condition. I often refer to it as my "Mittenwald Strad." We make great music together.
I did, for a time, own a Reinhold Schnable that was way better than my skill set and quite finicky and demanding. I finally sold it because I found that we didn't work and play well together.
My old violin is a German factory violin, copy of an Amati, almost 200 years old. But it has a rather muted sound compared with my modern Chinese instrument that I bought in 2009 (it was made in China, set up in the US). The old one is pretty and has sentimental value. My daughter used to play it but she has moved on to other instruments. Even when she was playing it she had the same problem as I did with it: sounding timid and mousy. I play the new violin almost exclusively now. My viola is also modern (2007) and made in Germany.
Joseph Hornsteiner, 1873, Germany!
Romania. It's my first one.
Stockholm, late 18th century, as best I can tell.
Belgium, 1920's
Primary, Germany 2005 Koeberling.
Secondary, Germany 1926 ER Schmidt.
Several others, China.
France....1842
Paris 1909
Firenze 2015
Main violin: Poland, 2006.
Daughter's violin: Germany, 1895.
Previous violin: United States, 1972.
Viola: China, 2015.
Phoenix, Oregon.
USA 2015
Viola: Cremona (Italy), 2000 - Violin: who knows, mid XIX Century
Main violin Ottawa Canada, Guy Harrison 2010
Main viola Murnau Germany, M. Koeberling 2013
Canada.
Italy Florence 2015
Enrico Marchetti, Italy, c.1900
My viola made in Sydney Australia
Paris France 1857
My violin is Costarican, 1989. At the time there was only one guy making violins there, and he is self taught. The instrument is not perfect in its make, but has a very nice tone which keeps developing nicely.
My viola is Serbian, and another 80s child.
Germany circa 1920
I was lucky on price as it has got better over the three years I've had it
Catania Sicily, made by Puglisi 1921
(violin)
Violin/viola: John Marshall, Aberdeen, Scotland, ca 1900.
Gemany 1904
Mine was made in 1920 in Nice, France, by Charles Bovis
I find those figures surprising : I thought the number of Chinese violins would be much higher. I live in Australia so I guess things might be different here.
One in US, Arkansas & Seattle; the other GOK, but it is very old and very worn in.
1. Larsen, Odense, Denmark, 1896. 2. Prague, 1900 (or so).
My violin was made in Bohemia, in 1940.
Italy, 1854
Austria
Gainesville, FL Dudley Reed, 1953
Anonim (made by student), Germany, 2001
Madrid. Spain. 1914 and 2010 (different makers, of course). Third violin from China
Italy 1949 and my new one in Copenhagen 2016
Paris, France 1845
Mirecourt, France 1980
Hamburg, Germany c1900
Venice, 1935
Chicago, Wladek Stopka 2013
Canada
France, 1904
My main violin was made in Berkeley CA, 2001 and my camp fiddle is a no-name violin that's possibly Czech, late 19th C.
Cardiff, Wales, 1978
My viola was made in Bulgaria, a few years ago My violin was probably made in Germany. Its label says 1912 and I have no reason to doubt it.
My Violin which I bought 31 years ago was made by Jules Grandjon in Meircourt circa 1856/6. It is of the Strad pattern and won the Silver medal at the Paris exbo in 1860. She has a wonderful bright tone across all the strings and is very responsive. It's like a love affair with a violin.
my violin has the tag of vincenzo ruggieri, made in 1731 in cremona, but some say that it may be a copy, so im not really sure where its from :D
Arthur Richardson, Devon, 1940 England, marvellous
Sam Copnell
Mirecourt, France 1900's.
Scotland
Alexandria, Louisiana
Mantua, Italy 1747
Adam Han - Gorski
My main fiddle is from Cremona, Italy. My former main fiddle is from Germany, and my electric Ted Brewer is from merry old England.
-M
Friedrich August Glass
Klingenthal Germany
Ca. 1850
Ukraine,21st century
Mirecourt France, 1879.
My main violin was made in Ottawa, Canada 2011 by Guy Harrison, a copy of 1742 Del Gesu "Lord Wilton". Two other anonymous violins made in Germany circa 1880 and 1900.
My violin and viola are both from Romania. I noticed a number of others have said the same - how many are Gliga?
This article has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.
Violinist.com is made possible by...
Watch Gilharmonic on Violinist.com
Dimitri Musafia, Master Maker of Violin and Viola Cases
Laurie's Books
Discover the best of Violinist.com in these collections of editor Laurie Niles' exclusive interviews.
Violinist.com Interviews Volume 1, with introduction by Hilary Hahn
Violinist.com Interviews Volume 2, with introduction by Rachel Barton Pine
October 7, 2016 at 06:04 PM · Bohemia (Prague in the 18th century)