An unlabelled German violin, possibly by Corbinian Hornsteiner

This intriguing violin was made in Mittenwald in either the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century. While the softly-hued brown varnish is not unlike that on some Kloz family instruments, the narrow, almost upright upper wings of the ‘f’ holes, along with the strong, flared and inward-turning corners may well point to Corbinian Hornsteiner as the maker. The wood of the belly has a lovely, narrow, even grain, and the one-piece, maple back has a very attractive, sloping flame. The tone is lovely, full-bodied and creamy but with admirable clarity. The violin speaks easily, especially in double-stopping passages. Once the principal instrument of a professional player, it would easily suit a violinist with a similar career path.