A fine antique violin with a very beautiful warm, matured tone, handcrafted by Louis Otto in Düsseldorf 1889. This violin that bears the original numbered makers label is an especially beautiful copy of Antonius Stradivarius, of high quality and made with great care and accuracy. The glossy and very attractive golden-orange varnish shows slight patination and highlights the beautiful, wild flaming of the maple back giving the instrument a special character. The general state of preservation is excellent. The violin has no cracks or damage. Now freshly set-up and restored to excellent showroom condition with new Pegs, new Despiau *** Bridge, new Soundpost, new ebony Tailpiece, new ebony Chinrest, and new Larsen Tzigane Strings. We offer it tonally optimized in perfect playing condition. Ths Louis Otto violin has a warm sound with a very mature, unique character with a mellow undertone and beautiful resonance in the higher registers.
About Louis Otto::
Born at Ludwigslust, 1844, died 1920.
Pupil of his father (Carl August) 1860-1865; worked with his cousin Ludwig at Cologne, 1865-1866; engaged by Reichers at Hannover until 1872. Established own workship at Dusseldorf 1872, ultimately having several assistants.
Appointed maker to the Court. Produced about 300 violins, 50 violas, 50 'cellos, and many double-basses. Gained first prizes at the Dusseldorf Exhibition, also at Melbourne and Chicago. Emile Sauret (famous French virtuoso) used one of his violins for several years. First period instruments follow the models of Amati and Guarnerius. Considerable achievement in delineating the peculiarities of each model. Later, almost exclusively became a semi-copyist of the large Stradivarius design, but did not allow anything to fetter his free spirit and in giving rein to certain little individualities, never lost that intuitive sense of beautiful symmetry. Outline and sound-holes delightfully Stradivarian. Whole contour one of splendid robustness. Built for production of a very large tone, with rather remarkable penetrating resonance. Ribs unusually deep. Plates perfectly attuned and graduated. Scroll of strong individuality, two never quite alike. Entire workmanship very fine indeed. Purfling merits all possible praise. Red-brown oil varnish of great transparency and resplendent fire, prepared from own formula and magnificently applied. Five-stringed double basses used by many of the finest Continental players. Particularly wonderful in point of clarity and mellowness. Constructed in a unique style though largely based on the Stradivarius model.
-Henley