Friedrich Violin
- Description (Brief)
- This violin was made by John Friedrich in New York, New York in 1903. Friedrich was born in Kassel, Germany in 1858 and studied violin making from 1875-1883 in Kassel, Stuttgart, Leipzig. He later studied in Berlin with Otto Möckel, a well-known master and authority of his time. Friedrich immigrated to New York in 1883, establishing with his brother William the firm of John Friedrich & Bros. His work was highly regarded and he won the highest award for his exhibit at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 and at the St. Louis World's Exposition in 1904. After a lifetime output of roughly 300 instruments, he died in 1943 at the age of 85. The violin is made of a two-piece table of spruce, one-piece back of maple with even medium-fine figure descending to the right, ribs of similar maple, complementary maple neck, pegbox and scroll, and orange-brown varnish shaded to imitate age and wear.
- Description
- The violin has an original label:
- John Friedrich fecit
- New York Anno 1903
- *3 handwritten
- and the ink number: #205 and a brand stamp logo in the inside center of the back. The instrument also bears a handwritten label: This instrument received highest award "THE GRAND PRIZE" at the St. Louis World's Exposition, 1904.
- John Friedrich was born in Kassel, Germany in 1858 and studied violin making from 1875-1883 in Kassel, Stuttgart, Leipzig and finally in Berlin with Otto Möckel, a well-known master and authority of his time. Friedrich immigrated to New York in 1883, establishing with his brother William the firm of John Friedrich & Bros. His work was highly regarded and he won the highest award for his exhibit at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 and at the St. Louis World's Exposition in 1904. After a lifetime output of roughly 300 instruments, he died in 1943 at the age of 85.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- violin
- date made
- 1903
- maker
- Friedrich, John
- Physical Description
- spruce (table material)
- maple (back material)
- Place Made
- United States: New York, New York
- ID Number
- 1979.0647.01
- accession number
- 1979.0647
- catalog number
- 1979.0647.01
- subject
- Violins
- Music & Musical Instruments
- See more items in
- Culture and the Arts: Musical Instruments
- Violins
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
- Additional Media
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