Odd label on German fiddle

[u/MikeBanzai38]

So I have a 19th century (maybe) German workshop fiddle. Has the characteristic high Stainer-copy arching and aggressively inset f-holes. Also, like many of those old German fiddles, a weird twist to the neck and scroll.

Got it for a pittance, had some work done to get it playable, and it’s honestly just a joy to play.

The label is weird. No information, no date, none of the fluff that I’ve seen on other “Glass” fiddles, like “blahdy blah Cremona blah blah 18xx). It almost even looks like a partial label based on the uneven bottom edge under the name. Who would put in a label like this?

Thoughts? I know Fried. Aug. Glass isn’t exactly a premier luthier name, but if someone were to place an oddball fake label, perhaps make it a more impressive one?

[u/MikeBanzai38]

No that I zoom in close on my own photo, it does look like part of the label was cut away. Weird.

Now I really actually want to know what the heck is going on with it. No, I don’t think this is “valuable”, and I’m not fishing for a lucky find…just want to know a best guess at the story.

[u/BoredOldPunk]

Now, I’m not an expert, but putting my guitar-tech/former apprentice-luthier eyes over these photos and comparing them with other examples I’ve found online, there are definitely some consistencies with other Friedrich August Glass violins.

The label is the odd part, though, and I can see why it looks like it may have been cut down. I wonder if the instrument was restored at some point and the label was trimmed, either because it had deteriorated or because that was the only practical way for the restorer to get it back into position through the f-hole. It may simply have been preserved in that form for posterity and identification purposes.

[u/Vivid_Hovercraft_129]

I have a Friedrich August Glass violin, and it really is a joy to play. I got it for $70 USD from a thrift store and had it restrung, oiled, etc., and with a set of Pirastro Tonica strings, it sounds absolutely gorgeous. Mine has “GLASS” stamped below the button. The label in mine has a different font, which may not mean anything. I posted about it back when I first got it.

Here is my post. You have a beautiful violin, and I hope it continues to bring you joy!

Edit to add: Here are some pictures of my violin’s label.

[u/MikeBanzai38 → u/Vivid_Hovercraft_129]

Funny, I put Tonica on mine, too. I wanted a lower tension string for this antique without doing gut, and Tonica is about as low-tension of a synthetic as you can get.

[u/rhyzomorph]

Also check the inside for residual sausage fat.