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Nishat - Posted - 06/06/2017: 17:28:37
I bought a violin a few days ago. It's a Ton-Klar Herrmann. I noticed as I was cleaning it, it had two stickers on the inside. Is this a true Ton-Klar and can you give me an approximate date of when it was made. Any advice on how I should clean this violin for it is really dirty and smells moldy, I dont see any cracks in it and dirt is really built up under the tailpiece and under the chin piece.
Thank you,
~Nishat~
AimieT - Posted - 09/16/2017: 09:29:19
I also have a violin that was made for Will am Lewis and Sons. The tag number says 126 and then there's another number on the other corner that is 7666.
The opposite side of the violin says it's a copy of a Stradivarious and was made in West Germany.
Thoughts anyone?
giannaviolins - Posted - 09/16/2017: 10:22:14
It's a model 126. Ton-Klar Dancla, if I remember rightly. Inexpensive trade instrument. Usually quiet and OK.
FidPup - Posted - 10/23/2017: 11:58:23
Sorry to resurrect this thread (again), but I found it very interesting.
A little over a year ago I bought a nice Lewis violin, "The Kreuzer" model from the Gustave August Ficker line.
This fiddle is fantastic for the traditional music I play (Irish and American old-time). I have been curious about the origin of my fiddle, and I have a couple of questions about the Lewis/Ficker violins from the late 50s to the mid 70s.
The left half of my fiddle's label reads:
Gustave August Ficker
(GAF in a circle) No. 220 ANNO 1971
STRADIVARIUS model
and on the right half:
the Kreutzer
made in GERMANY
exclusively for
WILLIAM LEWIS AND SON
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
The the inside back of the fiddle is branded with G.A.F. just above the label, and there is a small serial number sticker visible through the treble f hole.
It appears this fiddle is a "higher end" Lewis violin, second from the top "Paganini" model in the G. A. Ficker line, and has a label of the 1958-1974 format described by Gwen (fishingcat) in her August 3, 2011 post.
My two questions...
1) Until sometime in 1958, G. A. Ficker instruments from Wm. Lewis and Son were specifically labeled as made in Mittenwald, Germany. Does anyone here know where in Germany the Ficker violins were being made from 1958 through the mid 70s?
2) I have seen several internet references to G.A. Ficker violins being made by, or associated with, the Ernst Heinrich Roth factory, at least at some time in the past. Does anyone know if there has ever been any association between the G. A. Ficker line and E. H. Roth?
Thanks for any information!
Ken
Mcphillips84 - Posted - 12/12/2018: 15:51:11
I am having trouble finding any information on a violin that was given to me from my aunt. It is "Lewis Solo Violin No. 1 B". It says (the "Betts" stradivari) by Franz Weilder in Schilbach. Anno 1912. For William lewis & son, chicago. If anyone can give me some information on this I would appreciate it greatly, thank you.
CasperTheNonFriendlyGhost - Posted - 01/20/2020: 16:20:47
I have a viola I’ve been trying to figure out when it was made. The sticker inside says
Ton-Klar the Dancla made in Germany expressively for William Lewis and Son Chicago, Illinois
No. 2523 • 16”
10234
and it has an extra sticker with letters and numbers
MNO 621 000 WB 0015
Any idea what this means and how old it could be?
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