Fine American violin by H. R. Hanson, New York 1952

With its self-confident cosmopolitan elegance, this fine American violin by H. R. Hanson, New York, is a magnificent point of reference for 20th century violin making in the United States. The clarity of this exceptionally delicate Stradivari-oriented model creates a perfectly harmonious aesthetic which leaves adequate space for powerful accents such as the highly distinctive carving of the scroll and the rich coat of golden-orange oil varnish. Many renowned American master luthiers had roots in the Saxonian violin-making tradition, strong influences of which are clearly apparent here, and the violin’s premium tone woods are unmistakable signs of its provenance. The great radiance and transparency of the varnish set the high-quality moderately-grained spruce of the top and the striking and deeply flamed maple of the ribs and one piece back in their best light. Besides a pegbox repair, this fine American violin was kept in flawless condition, and now that we have meticulously set it up at our specialist atelier, it is ready to play. We recommend this H. R. Hanson violin for many reasons, including its warm, rounded, powerful, mature and somewhat sweet, golden sound.