Caussin School French Violin, Late 19th Century – SOLD MARCH 22, 2023 –

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We have a stunning Caussin violin copy from the family workshop of François Caussin and his sons Nicolas and François. This example has a beautiful soft flame in the maple back and has a one-piece spruce top plate with various width grain. Traditional woods were used in the interior and in the cleanly made outside carvings. One of the hallmarks of the Caussin school was the darkened area under the bridge which was intended to imitate the marks left by many years of rosin build up on older violins. Mr. Judd calls this a mustache. The instrument is a very nice copy of a remarkable master violin maker, with a striking outline, distinctive arching, and sound hole fluting. Caussin instruments were firmly outside the mainstream of French making, with a unique antiqued approach to copying Italian models with an innovative style of varnish work. This was done with a distinctive outline of the violin and the eye catching antiqued golden amber/brown varnish, almost splotchy in appearance. No two Caussin school violins at the turn of the 19th century looked the same, but at the same time to a trained eye they are quite unmistakable. Our violin was completely gone over here in our workshop and is offered in very good condition, ready to play for another 120 plus years.

Corpus 360.0 mm., Major Width 210.0 mm., Minor Width 169.0 mm., Rib Height 31.0 mm.

This is a great sounding violin, warm and mature with fantastic response. It has a large generous sound that carries very well. It sounds good whether you play hard or merely touch the instrument with your bow. It’s easy to play and just lays so well. The sound is better than smooth, it’s complex and projects. The violin’s carrying power will help make this an excellent choice for a musician looking for something special.