Dear History Side of Reddit,
Hi there! This is my first post (well, technically the second because a moderator removed the first.)
I have an extremely old violin that has been in my family for a very, very long time.
My family has come from a long line of Eastern Washington farmers, owning land in Hartline for years. As I was going through my late grandfather's belongings, I found this violin.
Curious, I looked all over the violin for some distinctive markings or a manufacturer's name. I found this flower design on the tailpiece as well as some illegible letters on the bridge (maybe WIEN?) I also noticed these very new-looking tuners on the headstock.
When I decided to look inside the thing, however, I was astonished. On the left side of the violin, just under the f-holes, I found this watermark.
It reads: Antonius Straduarius Cremona faciebat Anno 1691
This gem came in a worn out case with two seemingly handmade bows inside. Both have factors that make me think they were made between the 1850s and the 1870s such as hand-sewn grips.
Also in the case are various "case candy" items:
-Weird round box without a lid and the numbers "4190" stamped on the bottom.
-John F. Stratton's Birmingham Steel Violin Strings sleeve from the 1920s.
-Three Black Diamond D String packages (first, second, third) that all seem to come from the same 3-count package.
-Three more Black Diamond sleeves for an E string and a G string. The last one appears to be a wax paper sleeve rather than a paper one.
-An odd key-like tool.
-What looks like a guitar bridge pin.
-An extra (or original) bridge.
-American Pagonini Artist's Rosin that has a box with no bottom. The rosin has a wooden underside.
-Two cards. I have no clue what the information on this one means. The other one is a business card for a place in Spokane, Washington.
-Two newspaper clippings about old violins. Here's the small clipping and here's the big clipping. I have not performed a search on either to find dates.
-Miscellaneous old strings. I'm confused about the one that actually looks like a string (#3,) not steel. (One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six.)
If you wish to see all the case candy at once, click here.
Names include Fred Litt, Elizabeth Litt, Fredrick Litt, and maybe names like Bob, Bill, Shumacher and Ekinbarger. I mainly want to know if this violin is legitimate, but family names could help build a story connecting it.
I have no more information about this currently. If you could help me solve these many mysteries, I would greatly appreciate it! I really want to piece together the story of this old violin. It's been through a lot and I, like many history buffs, want to know what.
Stay in Tune, Old Time Hillbilly
Given that Stradiuarius is misspelled (there should be an i between the d and the u), and that the bridge says Wien (ie, Vienna, Austria), odds are good this is a copy. A google search turns up numerous similar violins, for example this one from four years ago with the same misspelled label on the inside.
I'm a historian rather than a professional appraiser, and I can't tell you how much a 100 year old Strad copy from Austria with a good family history attached would be worth (though the link above suggests some of these were good enough instruments in their own right). I would not, however, get your hopes up.
Speaking as someone who spends some time around instruments, though, you might want to take it to a professional who could tell you more, in case the violin has suffered from its time in the case. My great-grandfather's old violin spent 50 years in the attic before my family found it, and the wood was warped and ruined by the time we brushed the dust off. Find a professional who can give this some TLC, and tell you more about what it actually is while you're there.
What your small newspaper clipping says about violins copying the dimensions of Strads and being marked with the name is correct. My violin, for example, was made in 1925, but underneath the maker's name on the label there is the name of the violin it was copied from with the year 1691, just like yours! Kind of confusing I know. I'm positive that's not a Stradivarius; that being said, you could still have a fine instrument on your hands since it doesn't look like a cheaply made violin either. Is there any other information on the label inside like other dates or names? That would give you a little more to go on. Ultimately the only way to really find out about it is to take it to a reputable dealer who deals specifically in violins (the guy at the guitar shop isn't going to know as much as he's letting on haha). Also don't rule out the bows! People are surprised to find out how valuable and sought after bows can be, some fetch above 10k. If the bows are marked (some are some aren't) you should be able to find the name of the maker just above the frog (the black part at the end where you hold it). If you find a name there, google it and see what comes up. I don't know much about bows, but I do know that if either of them say "Tubbs," you're a lucky son of a gun.
Take it to a reputable luthier.
It's almost certainly a 19th century copy. It looks to be in pretty poor condition.
If you want to ask some professional luthiers online, they hang out on MaestroNet.