Over the years, people's fascination with stringed instruments from Cremona, the Italian capital city of violin making, has remained unwavering. The city's good reputation is not solely due to great historic names such as Stradivari and Guarneri, as this top-quality violin confirms. The instrument was crafted around 1930 by an unknown master in Cremona. Its large scroll was carved in an unmistakably Italian style; the interplay of colours on the golden-yellow oil varnish with charming orange tones shows taste and mature artisanry. It seems as if this violin met with some misfortune around 1970 which was meticulously repaired on the left side of the top. The highly esteemed studio of P. de Barberi in Genoa performed the restoration and documented their repair work with a dated label. The bass bar was replaced at the same time, as can be seen by a stamp from the same restorer. This violin thus ranks amongst the instruments which have survived such refurbishment in outstanding tonal condition. It has been completely set up and is now ready to play, and we recommend it to sophisticated musicians as an especially economical opportunity to acquire a bright, resonant and large sound. The clarity and the wealth of timbre in its voice are compelling.
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