1890s Steiner Steeply-Carved 4/4 Violin

Overview: There are a ton of Stainer/Steiner copy violins out there in the world but most are cut like more-flavorful Amatis and with slightly-squarer shoulders and lower bouts. This Steiner copy is a being unto itself with severe, dramatic carving around the f-holes/waist on the top and also similar carving on the back in the same area. It's very sculptural and the build quality, wood choices, and overall cut and design are much better than your average Stainer/Steiner copy from around the same period. I've only seen a few of similar style out on the web and they all dated from between the 1870s and 1890s. I expect this one may be from the 1880s but am guesstimating it's an 1890s build to be safe. It was likely made in a smaller workshop in Germany but there is no label -- just an imprint in the back and also inside on the back.

Tone: It's got a bit of a darker, woodier voice with decent projection and carry.

Feel: It's a pretty bog-standard neck feel -- slim-medium C with a curvier board.

Interesting features: Well, of course, the interesting carved to the top is where to start. Next-up, it's got nicely-figured flamed maple throughout the back, sides, and neck. The top is close-grained spruce. It has some original "faux aging" done to it from the factory work but it's also acquired plenty of actual aging to the finish in the last hundred and thirty years. The medium-brown finish is attractive and helps pop the grain out well.

Repairs included: Andy gave this a neck reset, seam repairs, cleats and repairs to some hairline cracks on the top (to the treble side of the tailpiece), cleaning, a fingerboard plane, new bridge, new chinrest, strings, and setup work. It's ready to go and playing beautifully.

• Weight: 1 lb 1 oz
• Scale length: 12 7/8"
• Nut width: 7/8"
• Neck shape: slim-medium C with slight V
• Body length: 13 7/8"
• Body width: 8 1/8"
• Body depth: 1 1/2"
• Top wood: solid spruce
• Back & sides wood: solid flamed maple
• Bridge: maple
• Fingerboard: ebony
• Neck wood: maple
• String height: between fiddler and classical
• Strings: Pearse Mezzo

Condition notes: It's in good order but does have some old repairs -- there's a hairline crack on the back (smaller) that was cleated and filled ages ago. There are also a cluster of mid-length hairline cracks to the treble side of the tailpiece that Andy has just recently fixed and cleated.  There are numerous small scratches, scuffs, and whatnot throughout the finish but they do not detract from the look.

It comes with: It's got an old hard case that's in "serviceable" condition.

Consignment tag: JW