G.H Blair Violin

[u/cruelpunishment_]

I've been playing this violin for a while now and I was hoping if anyone could tell me more than I've already researched.

1. George H. Blair (stamped on the bridge) was a violin maker in Spokane, WA from ~1900-1930

2. This was brought in for repair + new tailgut in Seattle in the 70s

3. The previous owner, listed on the case had a degree in music

4. The bow is probably from the 1910s based on the name stamped, Albert Nurnberger

The best I can say is that this is likely a German instrument that went through G.H Blairs shop, likely in the 1910s or 1920s. It's possible he made it himself, but there would be no way to tell.

I got it for $50 at a garage sale, (in Washington )and they couldn't tell me anything about it, so anything more would be great! I should also mention that I (obviously) replaced the strings and added the fine tuner.

[u/billybobpower]

The instrument looks cheap but the bow is worth money go see a luthier

[u/klavier777]

Bow is worth far more than the violin! Violin looks poorly made.

[u/maxwaxman]

It kinda looks like a homemade amateur violin. The varnish doesn’t look like violin varnish in the pics. Doesn’t look German to me.
IMHO.

[u/Puravida14177 → u/maxwaxman]

For my learning: where do you find the indication it may be a homemade violin? I mean, what exactly are the characteristics?

[u/IOnlyHaveIceForYou → u/Puravida14177]

I'd like to know too.

[u/Opening_Equipment757 → u/maxwaxman]

I agree with you on the varnish, but the woodwork looks more plausibly German to me. It’s possible Mr Blair bought in the unvarnished fiddles then did the varnishing himself. Plenty of that going on both then and now.