We try to fill our speculative and restorable sales with instruments and bows that might need a little bit of work but are generally of quality and worth the effort. Our February sale offers many interesting, intriguing and just plain useful things. Some of my favorites:
Lot 392 is a fine violin by the esteemed yet relatively rare Turin maker Marengo Romano Rinaldi. This violin has undergone some unfortunate trauma recently and is in the midst of restoration. The essential parts are all present and the varnish is full, vibrant and the for the most part, unpolished. The post crack to the back is unfortunate but will be stabilized and made to nearly disappear in the hands of a talented restorer.
Lot 410 is a fine violin by a skilled but unidentifiable maker of the late 18th Century. The choice of materials is both bold and simple: the back is of slab cut maple with modest figure while the top is irregular with several large knots, one of which is directly over the soundpost. The f-hole placement–low, elongated and slanted–is vaguely reminiscent of Storioni which is distinctive for the late 18th Century when most makers were not yet copying del-Gesu but making more straight-forward Strad, Stainer and Amati models.
Lot 382 is a real puzzle. When it first arrived we wondered if the top was a Dom Nicolo Amati with its wide lower f-hole wings and its reddish varnish to the top. The instrument is clearly composite but a strange mesh: both top and back appear to be of the same age but the back was cut down from a small viola to match the outline of the top. Interesting and indeed a puzzle…
Lot 390 is a fine violin by the rare French maker, Jean Gosslin. He refers to himself on his labels as an amateur maker but his work is consistently of the highest quality. This particular violin is in excellent condition with the minor exception of having an unrepaired soundpost crack to the back. It will make a fine restoration project for a talented restorer.
Best wishes and we hope you enjoy the sale.