A fine Master violin by violin maker Carl Zach son of Thomas Zach whom was more famous than the aforementioned son. Branded C Z over a triangle with T*Z indicating he was working for and the son of violin maker Thomas Zach this symbol is visible on most of his work pre 1888 as is on the label itself in immaculate condition. Labeled: Carl Zach . Gieigenmacher SOHN DES THOMAS ZACH Gemcht in Wien 1883 A fine instrument of the Viennese school made with influences of France and Italy the top is a finely grained spruce top with no visible repairs or cracks; two piece back of finely to medium grain spruce. The beauty of the scroll and neck attention to detail in the outline and cut cannot be understated. The sides neck and scroll are of a higher figured maple. The tone is fantastic and suturarle for the soloist; chamber musician and orchestral player or any player in between. Sweet and bold powerful and has the capability to blend. It’s a bright spring E and A but clear bass in the lower G as the barato kicks in to the higher G position and D as well. Set atop the finest grained spruce AUBERT Á MIERCOURT FRANCE bridge. Newly strung with the highest quality Peter Infield (PI) strings of low tension and ease of tune-ability as well as comfort in playability. The fingerboard is perfectly calibrated and of a light but sturdy ebony. The fittings are also ebony pegs; tailpiece, nut, end button, tailpiece with a hook Hill & Sons “E” fine tuner. The purfling is expertly done in the Italian style and tradition with a French style scroll blackened around the edges. These instruments are highly sought after in the European market and is rarely hear which is a shame. In the States. Biography of the maker: Carl Zach Son of Thomas Zach was born on the 30th of March 1859 in Budapest (Hungary). In Vienna he attended from 1872-1874 the conservatory of music (for violin playing). It is not known whereabouts he learned violin making probably from his afluente father. Until I887 he was with his fathers violin-making shop as he overtook it in 1888. (Violins dated prior were probably supervised by his famous father thus of better quality this being dated 1883.) At the beginning the shop had a good reputation doing good business. Carl Zach had the title of being supplier to the Royal families of Vienna and Greece. He founded in 1897 a separate company with the aim to commercialize 2 inventions of his own design. Due to this foundation together with his extravagant lifestyle (much mirroring that of Joseph Guarneri ‘Del Gesu’) he lost many assets the following year in 1898. After staying in Brussels 1902 and several other places in Europe his future way until death in 1918 in London is unknown. He built his instruments mainly after Stradivari models (as this one is) with a rather flat arching (which again this instrument has and is PERFECT for control and projection.) The scrolls are often with black edges (French style) as this is one example of this trademark. The varnish vary from orange-brown to red-brown colours (this is a more reddish in my opinion with a light undercoat is golden yellow as is typical.) 1884 he donated to the brothers Hans and Josef Schrammel, (members of the famous Viennese traditional music quartet) two violins he made. The instruments had, instead of the normal scroll, he instead carved portrait head of the two brothers respective violins. 1891 he donated two violins to the violinists Sether & Reisinger of the Viennese Grinzinger Quartet. 1892 he delivered due to orders of one violin to Her Imperial Majesty Queen Victoria of Great Britain & Ireland, Empresa of India and the Dominions over the seas, and the other to King George I of Greece (King of the Helens). 1892 of the ovation of the International Viennese Theater and Music Exhibition he handed a violin over to the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, King of Bohemia His Imperial Majesty Franz Joseph I, which he donated personally to His Imperial Majesty. The instrument as aforementioned instead of a normal scroll has carved a portrait of the Emperor-King, as well as the inscription around the rib (much as Amati and Stradivari did during their time when presenting instruments to important monarchs) “FROM ALL STRINGS COME THE SOUND INTO ALL HEARTS THE MELODY OF THE OLD FRANZ JOSEPH I GOD BLESS HIM”. Especially in Vienna Carl Zach will stay in the minds, not only in expert circles, as a maker of the so called Schrammel Violin and the Emperor violin. But the legacy of the maker lives on in his amazing work and the musicians whom play them. And you can be one of those special musicians!