violin, dark bird's eye maple body and close ground pine belly standard violin scroll head, four tuning pegs, four strings intact, four fine tuners, blackwood fingerboard and tailpiece, bridge (plywood?), attached chinpiece, small silver shield attached to reverse of scroll. Unusual double purfling on back and belly and extra turn in scroll volute. Case - triangular shape, tan coloured, leather, one piece ? , four metal studs (feets) on base and four on side, leather handle on front, two metal clasps at lock, interior has blue/black velvet lining, position for two bows in lid, an interior box containing spare tailpiece and bridge. Cover - bright yellow quilt edged with purple braided double border.

1 violin

maker unknown, Germany, late 19th century

spruce [European pine], birds-eye maple, rosewood, ebony, length of back 365 mm

1998.60.367

Modelled after the Italian luthier Giovanni Maggini, this violin is distinguished by the unusual features of double purfling as well as a double volute on the scroll.

Giovanni Paolo Maggini (1580 - 1630) is known for introducing side linings and corner blocks which every maker has since adopted.

His violins feature slightly higher arching, a more pronounced border, more attention to the purfling and a cleverness in cutting of the sound holes. Maggini’s violins are also slightly larger than usual size which, for the period, made them unpopular.

This violin belonged to a Wellington jeweller, A Hosie whose name is engraved on a silver shield on scroll.