The following violin and bow were stolen from a Melbourne home on Sunday, 15 March 2009.
VIOLIN
The violin is of German origin, c. 1830 and is labelled Sebastian Kloz, Mittenwald. It also bears the stamp of New Zealand repairer “JAMES HEWITT” dated 1930 on the inside top block.
The back is of one piece of medium to broad flamed maple with the figure running horizontally; the sides are of similar wood; the later head of plainer maple; the top is of two pieces of straight grained spruce of close, irregularly spaced reed lines; the surface varnish is of a dark brown colour. Length of back is 353 mm.
Condition
HEAD : The later head is grafted to a new neck; the neck is fitted with a wedge and appears to be screwed through the neck root into the top block.
SIDES : There are old stable cracks on all sections of the rib garland.
BACK : The button of the back plate has been replaced and appears to be pinned through into the top block; there is an old crack c. 45 mm long running downwards from the bass side of the button.
TOP : The top plate has numerous old cracks on all areas of the plate.
VARNISH : The surface varnish is not original.
BOW
The bow is by W E Hill & Sons of London, c. 1935 and bears the stamp “HILL” on the handle and the stamp “ENGLAND” on the lower facet of the handle. The bow comprises a round pernambuco stick with plain ebony frog half mounted in silver; the adjuster of silver capped with a pearl eye.
The bow weighs 66.5 gm and is in excellent condition.
Should you have any information on either of the above two items please contact the West Melbourne Police Station on 03 9247 6491. Their reference number for this incident is LEDR738284
28 March 2009 – RECOVERED
The owner advised us today that this violin and bow has been found by the Police and that the entry in the Missing Instrument Register had been seen by a party involved in the recovery of these items.