John Friedrich violin, 1925, New York, fine condition | Metzler Violins

bright, projecting, sweet

About the Instrument

This violin has a bright and sweet upper register with a brilliant quality that projects. It bears a rich brown varnish with gold ground beneath. There are brilliant flames on the instrument’s two-piece back that also travel up along its ribs, neck, and scroll. This violin is in excellent condition.

Interior label reads: "John Fredrich fecit New York Anno 1925"
Length: 360 mm
Upper Bouts: 170 mm
Middle: 112 mm
Lower Bouts: 207 mm

About the Maker

John Friedrich (1859-1943) was born in Germany and studied under Schonger, Möckel, and Hammig in their shops throughout the country before immigrating to New York in 1883. With his brother William, Friedrich created John Friedrich & Brother, quickly establishing himself as one of the premier luthiers in the nation. Friedrich made over 300 instruments and bows throughout his career, often modeled on those by the classical masters. Within a decade of his move to the United States, Friedrich’s work earned him the highest honors at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. In 1904, one of his violins received the Grand Prize and gold medal at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis.