David Chrapkiewicz (Rapkievian) violin, "Blue", 1990 #120

resonant, balanced, warm

About the Instrument
This violin has a gorgeous, full sound. While its depth is notable particularly in the lower register, its clarity sparkles as you play. The instrument has a lustrous chocolate varnish applied over a lighter ground, with a lovely craquelé throughout and some slight shading. Its strong medium curl falls directly across the single-piece quarter cut maple back, with similar bold flames running along the ribs and scroll. This violin is in excellent condition.

Interior label reads: “David Ludwik Chrapkiewicz 11990N / To Patience and  The color Blue : Mup” with his stamp bearing “120”
Length: 352 mm
Upper Bouts: 169 mm
Middle: 114 mm
Lower Bouts: 209 mm

About the Maker
David Ludwik Chrapkiewicz (“Rap-kye-vich”) Rapkievian (1948- ) is a contemporary American luthier based in Bar Harbor, Maine. Initially a trained as a violinist and dancer, Chrapkiewicz studied science and mathematics with a focus on acoustics at the University of Rochester, earning a graduate degree before turning to violin making. He apprenticed under Mittenwald Shop Master Alois Vogl and Raymond Forget in Montreal, Canada for four years. At the end of his apprenticeship, Chrapkiewicz opened his own atelier in Iowa City in 1979, then moved shop multiple times (Nashville, the New York Metro Area, outside of Washington, D.C.), before settling in Bar Harbor in 2020. While in Nashville, Chrapkiewicz continued his studies of the craft with William Moennig II.

Over the decades of his career, Chrapkiewicz has earned several tone awards, including a Silver Medal at the Violin Society of America’s International Competition. He has also presented and exhibited his work at the Oberlin Summer Workshop and VSA. A Scottish fiddler himself, Chrapkiewicz aims to craft dynamic instruments that might meet the needs of players. His violins and violas are played by performers of all stripes, ranging from those in metropolitan symphonies to the Indigo Girls’ backup band. No matter the player’s interest, Chrapkiewicz’s instruments are known for their balanced clarity and detailed artistry.

Chrapkiwicz is a member of the American Viola Society, Violin Society of America, Balalaika and Domra Assocation of America, Catgut Acoustical Society, Guild of American Luthiers, and String Industry Council, among others.

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