This violin was made very quickly for the London trade for the firm of Longman & Broderip. There is a trace of their brand on the back below the button and the original label inside which reads ‘Made & Sold by Longman & Broderip No. 26 Cheapside & No. 13 Hay Market, LONDON.
This violin originally had inked on purfling which has almost completely worn off. It has some old wounds including a few repaired belly cracks on the treble wing of the belly and at the lower treble f-hole wing. On the back, there are a couple of repaired cracks to the lower bass-side wing and an acceptable amount of wood-worm damage.
There is also some old wood-worm damage to the lower bass-side rib.
The neck setting has been modified at some point but is still not set into the top block. The continuous upper rib has been cut through and refilled for the thickness of the rib. There is a single iron nail through the top block to hold the neck as was common.
The English boxwood pegs are of the period as is the endpin. It has a very deep and extremely warm tone and is strung with Pirastro Passione strings.
Price: $5,000
Luke Mercier Violins 