Antique 3/4 violin by Friedrich August Meisel

This 3/4-sized violin from Klingenthal is an instrument of rarely witnessed quality; as its hand-written label indicates, it was made in 1896 by Friedrich August Meisel. It might have been crafted by Friedrich August Meisel, Sr., who lived from 1817 to 1894 and was known for his artisanal talents, even though financial need gave him (and many of his contemporaries) only few occasions to demonstrate his capability and sell instruments under his own name. After his death, his son Friedrich August Meisel, Jr. (1845-1919) took over the management of the family atelier; he applied his own label to the pieces his younger brother crafted and made sure they were sold. This violin shows its provenance from the best Klingenthal tradition of craftsmanship: dark-brown varnish over a brilliant golden background, clearly defined edges and very finely executed purfling. The violin was worked over completely in our atelier and is offered ready to play. A few barely detectable repairs to the top were extremely professionally performed, and they have no impact on the exceptionally good sound of this instrument. Its voice is rich in character and dark, balanced across all registers and has a resonance that is seldom encountered. Our special recommendation!