JTL Mirecourt, Strad Model – Trade Violin, Circa 1910

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We have a violin from the famous JTL family workshop in Mirecourt. For hundreds of years instruments made by this firm set the standard for high quality trade instruments. At their peak of making in the early 1900’s they had more than 1,000 luthiers building instruments. Many of these instruments made it to American music stores and violin companies to be sold. Our J.T.L. was made approximately in 1910 and has the typical J.T. L. French-style of a violin with a slightly wider major width, a body length that is about 2 mm longer, slightly larger edges, and a rib height that is slightly larger. This body model helps generate a bigger, more impressive sound. The scroll retains the chisel cuts and workmanship, all hand done. The varnish is a traditional French red brown on an amber ground. The instrument shows much patina on the plates – a good sign that it was well played and just didn’t sit in a case for the last 100 years. The one-piece maple back is highly flamed, and the violin has no issues. We have completed an entire new set up all in ebony fittings

Corpus 357 mm., Major Width 207.5 mm., Minor Width 167.5 mm., Rib Height 31.0 mm.

The violin sound is deep and impressive. The bottom end has some guts, and the treble side is on the dark side, not too brilliant. The violin has subtle power and drive. It is not loud or offensive. The violin rings with a clear tone and offers a player European quality and very nice sound with age. The instrument is very suitable an advancing player.