Professional Level Violins
($50,000 - $200,000)
Choose a price range: $5,000 - $10,000 $10,000 - $20,000 $20,000 - $50,000
$50,000 - $200,000 Fine, Rare Italian Instruments
$50,000 - $200,000 Fine, Rare Italian Instruments
As a professional violin shop, we carry rare and contemporary instruments.
We have Italian, French, German, and other makers in stock.
We have Italian, French, German, and other makers in stock.
Special Feature: A Fine Violin by John Frederick Lott II, London c. 1850.
We are extremely proud to offer this violin made by one of the greatest craftsmen and copyists of his trade. John Frederick Lott II (Jack Lott) is one of the most interesting and enigmatic personalities in the history of the violin. His life was the subject of the book, Jack of All Trades by famed author, Charles Reade. The son of a violin maker, having at various times left the profession to be employed first as a gunsmith and later as an elephant trainer for a travelling circus, he returned to violin making after the sensational and tragic death of his elephant, Madem Djeck.
His violins are amongst the most dubious of copies and even outright forgeries, sometimes incorporating various parts of instruments made by the Italian masters as well as lesser Italian makers. His instruments often blur the lines of authenticity making it difficult to assess them as composites, copies or forgeries. Indeed, it might be difficult to call some of his violins “British” when some of these are reworked Italian instruments. Violin virtuoso, Ida Haendel played on a particularly fine Lott violin which, for many years, was thought to be a Guarneri ‘Del Gesu’. Although difficult to categorize, Lott’s violins are tonally sublime. His ‘Del Gesu’ copies in particular, have much of the depth associated with the master.
As per the label (which is thought to be original), this violin is a superb imitation of a Giuseppe (Joseph) Rocca, which in turn, is a purported copy of a Guarneri ‘Del Gesu’. As an Italian contemporary of Lott whose work was extremely popular in England in the mid-nineteenth century, it is probable that this violin was intended to deceive the prospective buyer as being the genuine work of Giuseppe Rocca. It has a convincingly deep and breathy tone and the wood selection is impeccable. The attention to detail is so neat that even the pegbox and interior corner blocks (which few people would ever see) are stamped “GR”. We can say without reservation that this is amongst the most interesting and compelling violins we have ever been privileged to offer.
This violin is a slightly compact full-size instrument and would be ideal for a concert artist. We welcome your serious inquiries
In Stock
We are extremely proud to offer this violin made by one of the greatest craftsmen and copyists of his trade. John Frederick Lott II (Jack Lott) is one of the most interesting and enigmatic personalities in the history of the violin. His life was the subject of the book, Jack of All Trades by famed author, Charles Reade. The son of a violin maker, having at various times left the profession to be employed first as a gunsmith and later as an elephant trainer for a travelling circus, he returned to violin making after the sensational and tragic death of his elephant, Madem Djeck.
His violins are amongst the most dubious of copies and even outright forgeries, sometimes incorporating various parts of instruments made by the Italian masters as well as lesser Italian makers. His instruments often blur the lines of authenticity making it difficult to assess them as composites, copies or forgeries. Indeed, it might be difficult to call some of his violins “British” when some of these are reworked Italian instruments. Violin virtuoso, Ida Haendel played on a particularly fine Lott violin which, for many years, was thought to be a Guarneri ‘Del Gesu’. Although difficult to categorize, Lott’s violins are tonally sublime. His ‘Del Gesu’ copies in particular, have much of the depth associated with the master.
As per the label (which is thought to be original), this violin is a superb imitation of a Giuseppe (Joseph) Rocca, which in turn, is a purported copy of a Guarneri ‘Del Gesu’. As an Italian contemporary of Lott whose work was extremely popular in England in the mid-nineteenth century, it is probable that this violin was intended to deceive the prospective buyer as being the genuine work of Giuseppe Rocca. It has a convincingly deep and breathy tone and the wood selection is impeccable. The attention to detail is so neat that even the pegbox and interior corner blocks (which few people would ever see) are stamped “GR”. We can say without reservation that this is amongst the most interesting and compelling violins we have ever been privileged to offer.
This violin is a slightly compact full-size instrument and would be ideal for a concert artist. We welcome your serious inquiries
In Stock
Carl Becker, America, 1946
Carl Becker
"Born at Chicago, 1887. Son of a well-known violin-teacher in that city. Worked with John Hornsteiner for 15 years and also worked for William & Sons at Chicago. Stradivarian and Guarnerian modelling. Every detail perfectly synchronised. Brown-orange shade of varnish entirely of own compounding of very soft texture, ensuring a lasting tone for future years. Ten or a dozen members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra use his instruments. Also the Selinger String Quartet Party." (Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers)
SOLD
SOLD
Carlo Bisiach, Italy, 1924
Carlo Bisiach
"Born 1892. Son of Leandro. Co-operator with his father at Milan for several years. Established at Florence, 1926. Resplendent workmanship--often handsome slab backs and very fine grain for breasts--orange-red varnish." (Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers)
SOLD
Charles Adolphe Gand, France, 1854
"Son, pupil and successor of Charles Francois. Fervent and earnest in producing the best, had sympathies with the French school and large views for its advancement, a genius working quickly and unobtrusively. Appointed repairer, etc. to the King and the Conservatoire. Workmanship, inside and out, very neat and masterly. Orange shade of varnish, delightfully transparent and of soft texture." (Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers)
SOLD
SOLD
Johannes Theodorus Cuypers, Holland, 1780
Johannes
Theodorus
Cuypers
Theodorus
Cuypers
"Jan (proper Christian name) has been styled the Stradivarius of Holland. Modelling generally based on that of a Strad, but occasionally reminding of Gagliano. Outline rather well conceived, and the slight arching shows considerable ingenuity in graduation....each instrument affords evidence of bold workmanship.....always very substantially built of good wood -- backs often cut in slab fashion and generally of pretty figure." (Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers)
SOLD
SOLD
1904 Leandro Bisiach, Milan
Gorgeous Italian violin made by Leandro Bisiach in 1904, Milan. This violin has the sound of a concert Stradivarius for a fraction of the cost.
"Leandro Bisiach was a talented craftsman and an astute businessman, and his shop was foremost in his country during his lifetime. Although many instruments bearing Bisiach's label can be attributed at least in part by other makers in the shop, his personal work is of a high quality, showing a fine understanding of his classical predecessors. Toward the end of his career the style becomes more heavy and less inspired; consequently, instruments before 1914 are especially sought after."
SOLD
Gorgeous Italian violin made by Leandro Bisiach in 1904, Milan. This violin has the sound of a concert Stradivarius for a fraction of the cost.
"Leandro Bisiach was a talented craftsman and an astute businessman, and his shop was foremost in his country during his lifetime. Although many instruments bearing Bisiach's label can be attributed at least in part by other makers in the shop, his personal work is of a high quality, showing a fine understanding of his classical predecessors. Toward the end of his career the style becomes more heavy and less inspired; consequently, instruments before 1914 are especially sought after."
SOLD
1845 Pierre Pacherele
Although French in nationality, Pacherele was heavily influenced by his master, Giovanni Francesca Pressenda, who is believed to be the finest maker of the Turin school. This violin was featured in The Strad in 2007 where Christoph Landon said that it was the finest example of a Pacherele he had ever seen.
SOLD
Although French in nationality, Pacherele was heavily influenced by his master, Giovanni Francesca Pressenda, who is believed to be the finest maker of the Turin school. This violin was featured in The Strad in 2007 where Christoph Landon said that it was the finest example of a Pacherele he had ever seen.
SOLD
Riccardo Antoniazzi, Italy, 1908
Riccardo
Antoniazzi
Antoniazzi
"Inborn talent, eagerness for knowledge and a discriminating mind impelled and drew him like a magnetic needle to emulate the Cremonese. In thought he placed himself in a position analogous to those exemplars -- men who irretrievable committed themselves to do something which obliged them to do more, and which generated the necessity of doing all -- and, by adamantine application, he hoped to become one of the future exemplars. Given the world many instruments exhibiting perfect unison of craftsmanship with intellectual grasp of tonal utility, this tone being of that adequate brilliancy and requisite mellowness which attracts the soloist." (Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers)
SOLD
SOLD
Tommaso Carcassi, Italy, 1765
Tommaso
Carcassi
Carcassi
"Worked in Florence, 1735-1789. Workmanship shows correct and fine taste. Happy veneration for the Amati model, medium sized yet masculine, and a rather strict adherence to the mechanical proportions of that model. Medium high arching, gently graduated and with no accentuations near the edges - sincere resemblance to the early Cremonese school. Deep ribs and accurate purfling. Sound-holes mathematically perfect and well finished. Scroll perhaps a trifle effeminate, but a microscopic eye will not find a blemish in the carving. Tone of pleasing timbre, sometimes richly sympathetic but never very penetrating." (Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers)
SOLD
SOLD