1900s Konigl "Academie Leipzig" 4/4 Violin

Apparently, violins of this brand and make are pretty hot-to-trot. It's definitely got a good-quality build and it sure looks gorgeous. It's German-made and has a full, balanced, and nicely-husky low-to-mids voice and a sweeter, but forward, treble. Someone with better bowing technique than my own poor hack-sawing would get a lot more out of the instrument, but I can tell it's got a strong voice and sounds particularly "old-timey" on double-stops.

I think it's currently setup with some sort of rope-core or synthetic-core strings as they're warmer than the average steel-core fiddle stock. This is my preference and they're appealing on this instrument.

Specs are: 14 1/8" body length, 8 1/4" lower bout, 6 5/8" upper bout, 1 5/8" side depth but 2 1/2" overall depth, 7/8" nut width, 11/16" string spacing at the nut, 1 3/8" spacing at the bridge.

Materials are: solid spruce, tightly-grained, somewhat-higher-arched top, fancy flamed maple back and sides, flamed maple neck and pegbox, ebony fittings save a synthetic, 4-fine-tuner tailpiece. Everything on the instrument is of good quality and cut.

Condition issues: it was "antiqued" at the factory like many old violins but shows average usewear with light scratching throughout and some worn areas of finish. It's in good health overall and has had some recent work done to it to bring it up-to-snuff. There are no cracks that I've found and all the seams are in good shape save the bit under the chinrest that's been reglued in the past and also a little crunched-in on the edge from the rest's clamp. It's nothing to dwell on, though.

Work included: nothing! It'd been previously adjusted and setup on-the-dot by another shop. I wiped the dust down, tuned it up, and that was it.

It comes with: a flight-style case in OK condition (zippers are faulty) and an older, Glasser fiberglass bow.

How about that maple? In person this is some very striking stuff.