John Juzek – Prague Early 20th Century Trade Violin

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John (Jan) Juzek (1892-1965) was born in Pisek, Czech Republic, and in the early 1900s he operated a violin making workshop in Schönbach. The Juzek name is well known in North America as a merchant and exporter of string instruments who produced consistent high-quality instruments and was prolific during the early twentieth century. Juzek also sold the work of independent craftsmen of the Bohemia region under his name. He was also a fine luthier, modeling his instruments on those of the Italian masters. His handmade instruments from the 1920’s go five thousand or more dollars. Our Juzek is a commercially made trade violin made in his workshop pre-WWII. The instrument is very good condition with no issues. The oil varnish is amber/brown on a golden base that has developed a lovely patina. The violin has the traditional woods and we have completed the instrument with new ebony fittings.

Corpus 360 mm., Major Width 204.0 mm., Minor Width 165.0 mm., Rib Height 30.0 mm.

The sound on the bottom end has good sustain and strength. The sound is even throughout all the voices. The treble side is slightly brighter and clear in its tonal response. The violin has a sweet presence on the A & E strings and delivers a powerful balance of tone. The instrument is a fantastic choice for the player on a budget around two thousand. The violin will not disappoint.