AboutAl Dzina Expertise I can answer questions about violin and guitar making and restoration. I will not answer questions about playing these instruments, because I am a maker, not a player.
Experience I was trained in violin making in Germany and have been working at this craft for sixty years.
Expert: Al Dzina Date: 2/27/2008 Subject: Karl Schneider Violin
Question I have come across a violin tagged Karl Schneider, Klingenthal. I do not have it in front of me at the moment, I think it is 1774, with the 4 handwritten. I am a bit baffled by this violin, by its age. I could only find mention of a similar violin in a Lyon and Healy catalog from 1921 (a 1779 model) $125 at the time. Mine is a one piece back, nice flame, very unusual neck graft near heel, peg holes have bushings, possibly revarnished, top of med, med fine grain, brownish red varnish, pretty good state of preservation. Has a good sound, good volume and balance, not terribly sonorous but oh well. I guess what baffles me is the age, would this actually be this old? I seem to have it in my mind that violins from this time period should be worth more (675 asking price)and very rare. I found no mention of Shcneider as a maker, seemingly not recognized, would somebody fake something like this? Seems there would me no motivation to do so. Any thoughts/info on the maker would be appreciated. thanks.
Answer Hi Dave;
There are 12 makers with the name Schneider, but none with the name Karl. I find a Christoph Carl Schneider Born-Died? Worked 1756-1790
in Klingenthal, Germany. The value of his violins is between $1,000
to $2,999. The biggest motive for Chinese and Korean knock-offs is to use any name that looks German.
Al
