Expert: Michael Avagliano - 6/3/2009

Question
This violin is not in a salable condition. I am just interested if you have any record of a maker stamped inside the instrument Heinr Fichheimer  Berlin 1890. The case has a patent dated Oct. 1888 GSB. The bow
looks like it was hand made
and the horse hair is quite frayed. Thanks for your help in advance.

Answer
Hello Calvin,

I have sold a few instruments with this name labeled inside, but haven't been able to find any information in the standard references to a maker by this name. I know the name can be hard to read -- the label is printed with an overly Gothic German typeface. The best reading of the label I could come up with was "Heinr. [Heinrich] Eichheimer".

Since the German guilds were pretty meticulous about their record-keeping of professional makers, my best guess is that it's a trade name that was developed by one of the workshops in Markneukirchen around the end of the 19th century. There were literally dozens of fictitious trade names used by the various workshops, mainly for marketing purposes. That way, the shops in the US selling the instruments could say they were the "sole importer" of a certain name, even though the instrument itself was identical to four or five other trade names marketed by other dealers.

From the workmanship of the ones that I've sold, they are generally well-made instruments, of a quality level with the better violins coming from the Heberlein workshop. They were made on a Guarneri model, a little heavy in the edgework, and the varnish was on the thick side.

Your best bet is to take it to a qualified luthier in your area for an examination. If you need help finding a shop in your area, let me know and I'll point you in the right direction.

I hope this is helpful. Good luck!

Sincerely,
Michael