Helmuth Keller & Son cello, 1995, Philadelphia, with certificate | Metzler Violins

rich, sonorous, soulful

About the Instrument:
This cello has a gorgeous, mature sound, commanding and refined. It has an even tone that blends well, making it an excellent choice for solo and chamber performances. It has a medium-small flame figure has visual vertical grain in the two-piece maple back. Similar wood is used for the ribs and scroll. The varnish is chestnut over a golden ground. The instrument bears an "HK" on the table under the fingerboard and on the joint of the bottom ribs.

Length: 764 mm
Upper Bout: 352 mm
Center Bout: 246 mm
Lower Bout: 443 mm

About the Maker
Helmuth Keller (1931- ) is a renowned contemporary master luthier based in Philadelphia. Keller was born in Fischen, Germany and was initially a violinist, beginning his career at the age of six and playing professionally for a dozen years. He studied to become a luthier at the historic school in Mittenwald, studying under Leo Aschauer and H. Karner. Keller immigrated to Philadelphia after the Second World War, working in the workshop of William Moennig & Son from 1952-1966. Once in Philadelphia, Keller married into the family of Martin Nebel, the German-born luthier who immigrated to the New York and worked for Wurlitzer before opening a shop with his brother in Philadelphia. Keller established his own shop in the City of Brotherly Love in 1966. Keller worked from several established models and also developed many of his own. The meticulousness of his craftsmanship is illustrated in his beautiful handmade purfling. He is a member of the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers. The shop, now Helmuth A. Keller & Son, continues under the tutelage of Keller’s son, Stephen, extending the legacy of Keller’s impeccable craftsmanship.