Caussin School French Violin Late 19th Century circa 1880 – SOLD NOVEMBER 27, 2024 –

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We have a stunning Caussin violin copy from the family workshop of Francois Caussin and his sons Nicolas and Francois. 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 and 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 meticulously gone over here in our workshops and is offered in very good condition and ready to play for another 140 plus years. The top is a one-piece spruce top with a fine grain on the treble side which slightly broadens as it reaches the outer flank of the bass side. The back is a figured maple two-piece back while the ribs, neck, and scroll have very little flame. The oil varnish is an amber/brown that is distressed in its appearance, but beautifully done. The ebony pegs each have a 4.0 mm mother-of-pearl eye on the end and the 100-year-old tailpiece has a brass Pajot shaped ornamentation.

Corpus 357.0 mm., Major Width 206.0 mm., Minor Width 166.0 mm., Rib Height 30.0 mm.

This is a great sounding violin; warm, 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 incredibly smooth, it’s complex and projects. The resonance is stunningly beautiful. This instrument sings and is a total Wow! in my book. The violin’s carrying power will help make this an excellent choice for a musician looking for something special.