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BrainTree56 - Posted - 12/10/2017: 19:47:27
I just acquired this old fiddle. It sounds great and I'm really enjoying playing it. Curious if anyone can identify it or tell me a little more about it...
There is a small "Made In Germany" tag. Above the tag is handwritten and hard to read other than the first letters.. Something that says "J ---- U --- Fiddle" Below, it says "Mittenwald" and a date that could be 1865 or 1965... I can't make it out.
Curious if someone is familiar with fiddles like mine...
Cyndy - Posted - 12/11/2017: 04:16:29
I think the "U" word is "Uhlrich" and a bit of Googling makes me think the three words might be "Johann Ulrich Fichtl." I'm a genealogist, not a luthier, though, so I can't comment on the instrument itself. :)
BrainTree56 - Posted - 12/11/2017: 05:59:08
I think you are right! Well, that's at least a place to start looking around. Thanks.
ChickenMan - Posted - 12/12/2017: 05:08:51
Shots of the scroll from various angles, maybe side view and back are helpful in identifying where it came from. I'm no expert, but that's usually what those with some knowledge say.
Edited by - ChickenMan on 12/12/2017 05:09:09
notlwonk - Posted - 12/13/2017: 09:31:34
Made between WWI and WWII.
In 1890 (1880?) imports were to be marked with country of origin....France.. Germany...
After 1918 imports were to be marked "Made in Germany....Spain..."
After WWII Germany was split East and West, so you have a ~20 year span discounting the actual war period.
DougD - Posted - 12/13/2017: 10:20:27
As you may have already discovered, Johann Uhlrich Fichtl was a maker in Mittenwald in the mid 18th century. So this is a modern "copy" (or at least a fiddle with his name written in it).
BrainTree56 - Posted - 12/14/2017: 02:48:28
quote:
Originally posted by notlwonk
Made between WWI and WWII.
In 1890 (1880?) imports were to be marked with country of origin....France.. Germany...
After 1918 imports were to be marked "Made in Germany....Spain..."
After WWII Germany was split East and West, so you have a ~20 year span discounting the actual war period.
Thanks! This is exactly what I was looking for. Interesting stuff. Just curious - what would a fiddle from Germany be marked that was made after WWII? "Made in East Germany"? "Made in West Germany?"
notlwonk - Posted - 12/14/2017: 04:50:27
I've seen various products marked West Germany. I don't think you'll find much of any thing with E. German markings due to trade restrictions.
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