violin

The Musical Instrument Fund purchased this violin in 1993 from a Dutch dealer. The purchase was not made lightly, as the first two experts who assessed the violin turned out to disagree with one another. The Fund then consulted three other experts, after which it was concluded that the violin was undoubtedly built by Leonhard Mausiell. The absence of a label and brand mark, along with the fact that the top differs slightly from the back in certain respects, prompted the more extensive investigation. Ultimately, it was concluded that Leonhard Mausiell himself had fitted the violin with a new top, most likely after the original top had been damaged. Since its acquisition, the foundation has loaned the violin to various players, including, for example, Jorinde Geradts, whose father wrote in a letter to the foundation: “It’s a violin that talks back!” Since 2005, Esther de Bruijn has been the lucky player.