1920 Wilkanowski Violin. Fine Master Violin by American Maker Listen
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1920 Wilkanowski Violin. Fine Master Violin by American Maker Listen:
$1599.95
William Wilkanowski violin 1920 - YouTube
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An extremely fine beautiful American master violin made by William Wilkanowski around 1920. Violin will come packed in plush case with a new bow. An original Wilkanowski violin from his early making days. Wilkanowski was a Polish born immigrant. He was a full-fledged violin maker by the age of 17. His violins can be found in violin shops around the world. Presently there are several other Wilkanowski violins in Violin shops around the nation which you will easily find if you will look and do a Google search.This fine instrument is ready for play. It has been well cared for through the years. It has a repair label from New York dated 1963. The repair label also denotes that this is a Wilkanowski violin from 1920. We have had several Wilkanowski.As all Wilkanowski instruments, it is fully flamed Maple for the back, ribs, neck and scroll, and has a fine grain Spruce top. Beautiful oil varnish with nice patina. Surely some marks on it\'s old amber golden varnish. It is set up with boxwood pegs, French Aubert bridge, and a Wittner tailpiece and Chin rest.In 1963 there were 3 repaired and cleated hairlines on the top. No sound post or bassbar cracks. The hairlines can barely be seen. One is directly above the base side F hole and is around 3 inches long and two more are under the chin rest. The top seam was reglued at this time, with cleats running the entire length of the top. There are no open seams or cracks on the violin.The violin has a robust ringing soloist sound with a deep delicious g-string and a brilliant upper register. It is suitable for orchestra work or soloist playing!Wilkanowski was born in Poland in 1886 and emigrated to US as a young man. He initially worked for Oliver Ditson in Boston during the early 1920s and eventually set up his own shop at 85 Nassau Avenue in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn, NY, a building of which he subsequently became the owner.During the Great Depression of the 1930s Wilkanowski’s business did well and he employed several family members to help with the production of instruments. He also produced fine guitars, and there were relatives who participated in the construction of violins and violas. One in particular was Maximillian Wilkanowski, who might have been a brother or cousin.In the late 1930\'s Fred Gretsch, a prominent guitar manufacturer in New York, took an interest in Wilkanowski. Gretsch marketed Wilkanowski’s violins and persuaded him to manufacture high-end acoustic guitars that would compete with those of D’Angelico and Gibson. Between 1936 and 1940 Wilkanowski made about 30 of these guitars, which are highly valued today. Johnny Cash played one which was sold at sale after Cash’s death in 2003 for over $30,000.Wilkanowski was an extraordinarily prolific maker and, according to John Fairfield’sKnown Violin Makers, he had produced over 5,000 instruments (violins, violas and guitars) by the early 1940s. His label was simple: ‘W. Wilkanowski, violin maker’ with the year and a serial number. Some instruments carry an internal brand with his name and from the 1940s many also have the ‘W’ monogram purfled into the back just below the button.In 1950 Wilkanowski sold his property at 85 Nassau Avenue and moved the shop into his home in West Hempstead, Long Island. It’s unclear if this was to eliminate the 25-mile drive each way from West Hempstead to Brooklyn, or to be with his wife, Amelia, who was in poor health by this time and may have needed medical attention making it necessary for him to be with her.The death of Amelia in 1952 caused Wilkanowski to become despondent and he appears to have produced no instruments after this time. His income ceased and bills accumulated. Finally in late December 1954 he took his own life in his West Hempstead home. He is buried next to his wife at the Holy Rood Cemetery in Westbury, NY. Together they had raised nine children: sons Henry and Theodore, and seven daughters, Natalie, Viola, Caroline, Helen, Genevieve, Florence and Irene.Today Wilkanowski’s instruments have risen in value and frequently turn up in violin shops throughout the US; we have also seen them in Europe and in Asia. Many are in excellent condition and give a very accurate account of his work.Wilkanowski instruments are remarkable for their consistently high quality of workmanship and materials throughout his career. He had a unique feature whereby he would reinforce the tops and bottoms of the f-holes from the underside to help prevent cracking of the top plate. He used an oil varnish of his own formulation, which ranged from a medium amber color to medium red to a very dark red-brown on some of his 1920s instruments.Wilkanowski was influenced by the works of Amati, Stradivari and Guarneri and occasionally even Stainer; however, his violins have their own character that is immediately recognizable. His instruments can be described as ‘robust’ and although they are based on the classic masters, they are truly individualistic and reflect the creativity of a master violin maker.A video will soon be coming so check back.IMPORTANT TERMS OF SALE
Please read as by purchasing you are agreeing to these terms. We make certain that all items are described accurately. We carefully inspect every instrument inside and out before we sell it. We do our best to show very clear pictures, and give an accurate physical description of all items we sell. Where the pictures are the actual item we accurately disclose this, and where example pictures are shown, we accurately disclose this as well. What you see and hear is what you get. Pictures are a vital part of the description whether examples or actual item pictures. Items with actual pictures show exactly what you will receive, whereas items with example photos show a very close approximation of the item you will receive. We also offer videos and sound samples to give our customers a true experience of the instrument you are purchasing. That being said: Returns will only be accepted if items are significantly not as described. No cancellations after 1 hour of payment. We DO NOT sell on approval. This sale is final. We do not offer exchanges or partial refunds. Purchasing and later informing us you want to cancel because of another obligation or you failed to read the description properly does not constitute a valid reason to ask for a cancellation. We accept PayPal Only. All items will be shipped as promised after payment has cleared. We insure everything so if you have a problem with your item please contact your postmaster, and inform us. Please ask all questions PRIOR to offerding or purchasing. We will not issue any refund or exchange just because someone changes their mind, or for buyer\'s remorse.International Buyers – Please Note: Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer\'s responsibility. Please check with your country\'s customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to offerding or buying. Why buy from us?? The reason is simple when you consider the number of violin \"dealers\" on ready to make a deal. Here at Rooftopfiddleshop you are dealing with a professional violinist with over 40 years of playing and teaching experience. Our standards are very high for the instruments we sell, as high as the best of violin shops. When you purchase from us you can be sure of getting a violin that is ready to play and does not need additional and expensive extra setup work on the pegs, fingerboard and soundpost. All at a cost far below what you would pay at a violin shop for the same kind of instrument. That is our pledge to you. Note: It is uncommon for bridge or strings to become loose in shipping or for soundpost to fall, but in this unlikely event it is buyer\'s responsibility to have them reset.
1920 Wilkanowski Violin. Fine Master Violin by American Maker Listen:
$1599.95