www.MysticViolin.com - Violin: 1923 Antonius Poller, Vienna Austria

1923 Antonius Poller Vienna, Austria Golden brown varnish, medium faint curl, possible new neck. LOB 355mm

An underrated maker in the world of violins, Antonius Poller was born in Fleissen (Bohemia) in 1873. Poller studied violin making in Schönbach and in Absroth, where he apprenticed with maker Josef Ringer. He received further specialized training in Markneukirchen, and subsequently worked in the best shops in Germany, Austria, and Hungary, including the cities of Leipzig, Dresden, Berlin, Amsterdam, Prague, and finally Vienna, where he settled and established in 1904. In Vienna, Poller held an esteemed position (similar to that of W.E. Hill and Sons in London) and enjoyed a prestigious reputation both as a maker and as Director of the Viennese Violin Makers’ Guild. He died tragically and suddenly in 1925. Poller’s violins were constructed from the Stradivari model and have a reddish-yellow oil varnish. As a maker, Poller eschewed the notion of secrets concerning construction and varnish and is known for his detailed, superfine workmanship and clean, delicate repairs.

This violin, a fine example of Poller’s labors, was made just two years before his untimely death. It has an original label which reads: Antonius Poller Faciebat Viennae Anno 1923. The label is hand singed by Poller. The violin has a tight, fine grained top and a two-piece wide-flamed back with a medium faint curl. The instrument has had some top crack repairs. The neck appears not to be original to the body, possibly made by the Hill & Sons Shop in London. The scroll has been re-bushed. LOB 355 mm. Nicely adjusted and set up with Dominant strings. Price reflects instrument only.