English violin by John Smith, after the Ysaÿe-Guarneri

This successful interpretation of the famous Ysaÿe-Guarneri is a typical work of the London violin maker John Smith, whose famous work documents a lifelong engagement with the great old Italian model.

This English violin from around 1910 introduces John Smith, an interesting violin maker whose famous work is dedicated to the study of the great historical model Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù. The extremely beautiful sounding work was made in Smith's workshop in the London suburb of Teddington and is a convincing interpretation of the famous Ysaÿe-Guarneri, representing the mature craftsmanship of the late John Smith with its beautiful appearance and outstanding musical qualities. Her glossy, carefully polished oil varnish has developed a charming patina over time - an antique lacquer image in attractive shades of red and light brown that adorns the skilfully selected and processed tonewoods. The one-piece back, made of extremely delicately flamed maple, reveals in its impeccable workmanship the skilled hand of John Smith, whose original label inside the body vouches for the origin of this instrument. Distinctive traces of playing on the top made of high-quality medium grained spruce of medium age document that this violin was owned by very good musicians, and indeed its radiant sound rich in overtones with its pleasantly sweet character in the upper ranges opens up rich options for advanced violinists and professional musicians to interpret works of different genres and epochs.