Old German Cello by Eduard Tauscher, circa 1920

As a young master luthier, Eduard Tauscher is said to have made his first violins from the wood of old roof shingles. While this choice of materials may seem inconceivable, there are similar examples elsewhere in the history of violin making: the great Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume travelled through many countries to purchase old furniture and timber as a "reservoir" of wood for his atelier, and George Gemunder crafted many violins out of the remainders of the colonial architecture in Manhattan. By 1920, the approximate time when this old cello was crafted, Eduard Tauscher was already well established in his field and thus in a position to obtain top-quality tone woods from other sources; the quality of the narrowly-flamed sycamore maple used for the two-piece back is evident at a glance. The instrument's exact provenance was unknown for a long time. It was not until a repair (which had absolutely no impact on the sound) was made on the top of the violin that we discovered Tauscher's original label, which was out of sight on the upper block. The cello hails from the atelier Tauscher operated alongside his flourishing trade in instruments. There was no financial necessity compelling him to work as a luthier, and the joy he took in crafting instruments can clearly be seen in this remarkably light cello. Its distinctive character is shaped by the dark-red and heavily touched-up varnish against a golden-brown background. The scroll is an unusually lovely carving of rare elegance. The cello from the Vogtland region of Saxony was carefully worked over by the specialists in our atelier, and its outstanding quality is apparent in its mature sound, which is warm and balanced, full of volume and character.