Douglas C. Cox "Diable 1734 del Gesu" violin, Opus 671, 2010, Brattleboro, Vermont | Metzler Violins

commanding, supple, spirited

About the Instrument
This violin lovely to play, smooth and spirited while also bold and commanding. This instrument is patterned after the “Diable” violin of Joseph Guarneri “del Gesù” made in 1734. It is built of well-aged New England grown wood. The back is cut on the quarter from two pieces of maple with handsome medium width flames descending from the center joint. The ribs are of maple similar to that of the back. The neck and scroll are of maple less flamed than that of the back and ribs. The table is of two pieces of spruce mostly medium growth. The varnish is of a red-brown color over a golden ground and is shaded and imitated. The fittings are of carved boxwood with ebony trim. This instrument is thoughtfully antiqued by its maker in honor of the original instrument upon which it is modeled.

Interior labels read: “Joseph Guarnerius fecit Cremona anno 1734 IHS” (facsimile label) and “Douglas C. Cox, Brattleboro, Vermont, 2010, #671." The interior is branded and initialed.
Length: 351 mm
Upper Bout: 168 mm
Middle Bout: 114 mm
Lower Bout: 205 mm

About the Maker
Douglas Cox (1948-) is a contemporary American luthier based in Brattleboro, Vermont who trained at the State Violin Making School in Mittenwald, Germany in the late 1960s. Cox returned to the United States and was head of repair and chief restorer for Boston's J. Bradley Taylor, Inc. for a decade, attending to some of the finest instruments in New England and servicing the violins for the region's professional musicians. Since 1981, Cox has focused on crafting his own instruments, building more than 1,000 over the course of his career. He has earned numerous awards from the Violin Society of America and his instruments are played by musicians worldwide.

https://coxviolins.com/