David Rubio

sku Product SKU:  22574

Born in London, David started his studies in medical school and intended to become a surgeon but discovered that being color blind, surgery would be impossible. Instead, he went in an entirely different direction, becoming a flamenco guitarist with a gypsy group in Spain. He then started making guitars, then harpsichords and baroque violins. He moved to Cambridge in 1979 and concentrated on violin making, developing an excellent reputation for his instruments. David died in 2000 at the age of 65.

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Raymond Melanson *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  22575

Ray Melanson has become one of the best known and important violin makers in this country. Having studied art and violin performance, he began his career in the 1970's working with Hans Nebel and Arnold Bone doing repairs and restorations of fine instruments and bows. He then went to the Salt Lake violin making school. Starting in 1983, he spent four years teaching at the North Bennett St violin making school. Since then he has won 14 medals at Violin Society of America competitions. His instruments are owned by a number of famous soloists and members of major symphony orchestras.

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Sam Billings *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  22577

After graduating from the Chicago School of Violin Making, Sam Billings worked in the Chicago area and was represented by major Chicago violin shops including Kenneth Warren and Sons and Bein & Fushi. His violins have been acquired by a number of important musicians for example, the first violinist of the Takács Quartet.

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William Moennig & Sons

sku Product SKU:  22492

For over one hundred years (1909-2010) the firm of William Moennig & Sons was one of the most important violin dealers in this country. Over the years they employed some of the best makers in this country. They also had close relationships with some the finest violin makers in Markneukirchen (due in part to the fact that William Jr. studied violin making there before the second world war) and they were able to get many of the finest violins from those makers after the second world war. This is an especially fine violin and is in almost perfect condition.

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Georges Apparut

sku Product SKU:  4054

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Heberlein workshop

sku Product SKU:  22351

Heberlein workshop, labeled Friedrich August Heberlein, Markneukirchen

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Fine old French with Stradivarius label *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  11267

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Sam Billings

sku Product SKU:  22578

After graduating from the Chicago School of Violin Making, Sam Billings worked in the Chicago area and was represented by major Chicago violin shops including Kenneth Warren and Sons and Bein & Fushi. His violins have been acquired by a number of important musicians for example, the first violinist of the Takács Quartet.

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Michael Darnton

sku Product SKU:  22579

As a child, Michael started playing the cello but found that he was more interested in the instruments themselves than learning to play them. As a young man he was a professional photographer but soon started working at major violin shops in Chicago doing repairs and restorations, starting his career as a maker. He also worked with Tetsuo Matsuda and William Whedbee, perfecting his lutherie skills. In 2005, he joined forces with Stefan Hersh, forming Darnton & Hersh in downtown Chicago.

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Michael Darnton

sku Product SKU:  22580

As a child, Michael started playing the cello but found that he was more interested in the instruments themselves than learning to play them. As a young man he was a professional photographer but soon started working at major violin shops in Chicago doing repairs and restorations, starting his career as a maker. He also worked with Tetsuo Matsuda and William Whedbee, perfecting his lutherie skills. In 2005, he joined forces with Stefan Hersh, forming Darnton & Hersh in downtown Chicago.

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Albert Knüpfer *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  18838

Knüpfer worked first with A.Wunderlich in Markneukirchen, later with E. Reinhold Schmidt and H.Glass. He established his own workshop in nearby Wernitzgrün in 1904 and continued until after 1950.  He is recognized for his fine work after the classical Italian models.

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Charles Voiry

sku Product SKU:  11272

Charles Voiry trained in Mirecourt as did most of the best French violin makers. He then moved to the beautiful and historic city of Toulouse and soon became very successful. His shop was frequented by some of the finest musicians of the time including Zino Francescatti, Jacques Thibaud, Ginette Neveau and cellist Andre Nevarra.

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G.A. Pfretzschner

sku Product SKU:  19648

The G.A.Pfretzschner firm made fine violins for a number of years during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This fine violin is an excellent example of the high quality of craftsmanship we always appreciate from this outstanding workshop.

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D.Soriot *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  15545

The D.Soriot violins were crafted in the workshop founded by Marc Laberte, one of the most important in Mirecourt. Laberte collected instruments by the great classical Italian makers and strove to reproduce their qualities.

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Ernst Heinrich Roth

sku Product SKU:  17804

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Henry Thouvenel

sku Product SKU:  18464

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Labeled Carlo Micelli 1922

sku Product SKU:  19582

In the 1920's a number of important workshops in Markneukirchen made excellent violins using Italian trade names. We especially like the Carlo Micelli violins for their excellent artistic quality.

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Eduard Reichert

sku Product SKU:  20710

Instruments labeled Eduard Reichert were made in Markneukirchen and Dresden. The G.A.Pfretzschner firm exported many of them to this country.

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Silvio Barbieri

sku Product SKU:  13182

Silvio Barbieri was taught by his father Bruno who learned his craft under Gaetano Gadda.

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Fernando Solar *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  21007

Fernando Solar is considered one of the most important Spanish makers of the 20th century. His instruments are known for their full, rich tone. This violin is a fine and characteristic example of his work, with a rich, versatile, robust sound.

This violn is sold with the original bill of sale from the maker.

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Wolfgang Schiele

sku Product SKU:  10942

After graduating from the Mittenwald violin making school, Wolfgand Schiele worked for important makers and dealers in Paris, New York and for Peter Biddulph in London. He opened his own workshop in Munich in 1990 and has since become one of the most important makers in Germany.

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Justin Derazey

sku Product SKU:  18709

Justin Amédée was the son and pupil of his father Honoré. This violin is a classic example of high quality Mirecourt workmanship.

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Paolo Virgoletti

sku Product SKU:  19577

Paolo began his training with his uncle Arturo Virgoletti in 1999. Moving to Cremona, he worked with Elio Severgnini. While there, he had the opportunity to restore fine old instruments and study closely the work of the masters. He worked with master makers in Tokyo and Madrid before opening his own workshop in S.Polo d’Enza near Parma. This beautifully made violin has the full, rich tone that we expect from his instruments.

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G. Gloede

sku Product SKU:  21387

Although not much is known about this maker, Chicago was the home of many first class makers during the late 19th. and early to mid 20th. centuries.

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