The 'antiqued' finish, further aged by time and use, is a distraction from the underlying quality of this tidy fiddle. Elegantly modelled and carefully worked, it has been played constantly all its days and has opened out very well. Why the label has been removed is anyone’s guess, but the ghost of a mark is still there, and I expect it read ‘Copie de’ something or other. Set with new boxwood fittings, there is no restoration, the only damage being the short wing crack, an old repair. A good, reliable violin, with surprisingly rich tone, easily produced and nicely balanced.