Need Information on some OLD violins I have Please

January 21, 2008 at 05:17 AM · No one can tell you much of anything from that description. You will need to take the violins to someone who knows what they are looking at for an opinion.

Elaine

Norman, OK

January 21, 2008 at 05:23 AM · Labels and fiddles don't always match - and in many many cases don't.

A luthier I know bought a fiddle in England with a Spanish label that he later discovered was an American fiddle made in the 1800's.

Elaine's suggestion is good. You need to see a good luthier.

January 21, 2008 at 05:49 AM · Hmmm... sounds like a scam. A beat-up Strad sold by an unsuspecting seller...

Reminds me of the myth story about the old lady who unknowingly sold a classic Corvette for just $500...

January 21, 2008 at 01:24 PM · The first one probably says Schweitzer, and these usually are 100 year old German violins , often with fake cracks, fake neck graft, and a repair label or two. Can't be sure without seeing it

January 21, 2008 at 01:45 PM · There are commercial (fake) Schweitzers that were made by the boatload in Germany, and they all use the date 1813, so having an 1813 Schweitzer is never a good sign, though there must be at least one real one somewhere...

As for "Strads" of any date--the chance of that being anything other than a factory instrument are infinitessimal, given all of the German shops that cranked them out vs the ten or so real ones from that year.

These are not difficult calls to make without seeing the violins--it's the same as if you walked up to me on the street and asked if you had the winning lottery ticket: I could pretty much predict that you didn't. I don't think the original poster realizes how rare the real examples of these items would be compared with how many times they were copied/faked.