Raffaele Calace, Italian Neapolitanian violin, 1916 (certificate by Eric Blot)

This Italian Neapolitan violin by Raffaele Calace is a full-blooded Italian Instrument with a warm, large, Italian sound dating back to 1916; its maker was a liutaio in every sense of the word, since the term describes someone who crafts both violins and lutes. Like many other southern Italian ateliers, Raffaele Calace’s workshop had stayed in the family for over three generations and earned itself an outstanding reputation for its lutes and mandolins. Raffaele Calace himself won 11 gold medals and 8 silvers in addition to numerous other awards for his instruments. To this day, he remains a well-established figure in the world of plucked instruments, known as a virtuoso, composer and innovative designer of new kinds of mandolins, whereas the string instruments from his atelier are best known amongst a select group of well-informed aficionados– despite the fact that his clients included excellent musicians such as Fritz Kreisler. This Italian violin features Raffaele Calace’s original dated label and has captivating tonal properties as well as a confident aesthetic with striking effects: the clean margins have no fluting and reach perfection with the delicate purfling of a truly rare quality. The vertically positioned scroll is a self-assured piece that belongs to the unmistakably Neapolitan tradition and forms an appealing contrast to the playful charm of the sound holes. The transparent, golden-brown oil varnish magnificently accentuates the unique grain of the top-tier tone woods and their shimmering colours; its heavy crackling gives the perfectly-maintained violin an unconventional antique appearance. In the course of being painstakingly set up at our atelier for restoration, the violin underwent a minor repair to the upper sound hole eye on the treble side. This tonally extremely interesting Raffaele Calace instrument is now ready to play, and we recommend it highly for its large, warm sound full of typically Italian character. The price includes a certificate of authenticity by Eric Blot, Cremona.

 

 

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