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shagpapa - Posted - 02/10/2020: 20:20:18
I bought a fiddle from ebay to practice my repair skills, after I opened and removed the top I found a label that was glued on the inside about the size of a postage stamp. There is the outline of a Harp on the label, across the top of the harp are three
uppercase letters. On left side is a ( J) , midway is a (N), and right side a (S). In the center of harp outline is a (&), then at bottom of outline is letters Co.
Does anyone happen to know whose label this might be?? There is no country listed, no serial number no other info on it. I am assuming it must be a pre-war import. Would like to know who made it and how old it may be.
Hoping someone else may have seen this or know how I can identify the label
Shagppa
UsuallyPickin - Posted - 02/11/2020: 06:02:16
A picture of the label might help.
bandsmcnamar - Posted - 02/11/2020: 08:34:23
A harp on the label is often associated with the J. T. Lamy company of Mirecourt France, from the late 1800s. They used lots of different labels and makers names, and made everything from inexpensive student models to highly sought after instruments of quality. Often times there would be a J.T.L. stamped on the inside neck block. I've also seen JTL stamped just under the end pin, and it most likely isn't even a JTL instrument, but certainly possible. Personally I would find a violin shop in your area, and see what they think. French instruments are usually easy to distinguish from the German ones.
shagpapa - Posted - 02/11/2020: 19:36:38
tried to upload pictures but unable to - I have a photo that I had printed and then enlarged it to enable you to see the label design but not having much luck getting it to upload??
ChickenMan - Posted - 02/11/2020: 20:43:50
The picture is available for viewing on Richards media page:
internet searches turn up a bunch of Lamy guesses, but that could never be mistaken for this one. Irish looking harp.
Edited by - ChickenMan on 02/11/2020 20:59:18
bandsmcnamar - Posted - 02/12/2020: 06:12:39
Yes, not the same sort of harp. I also went to the dictionary of violin makers, digitalized on Archive.org and did not locate any maker with the initials JNS. So I'm guessing(again) that maybe those initials are for a company or even an institution. Again, best might be to go to a violin shop.
captainhook - Posted - 02/12/2020: 15:31:01
I don't really know, but it might help to look up Lyon & Healy labels. I think they used a harp on their labels, but I don't know what style. This does not appear to be a complete label.
DougD - Posted - 02/12/2020: 15:54:25
I thought of that too, and looked in an old Lyon and Healy catalog without success. The initials don't seem to match either.
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