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Sold for: £55
This lot comprises two stringed musical instruments consisting of a four-string violin with three bows and a handcrafted six-string folk art instrument constructed from a metal canister. The violin features a carved wooden body with a two-piece spruce top showing a fine grain and a two-piece maple back with horizontal flaming. It is fitted with an ebony fingerboard, tailpiece, chin rest, and tuning pegs. No internal maker’s labels or marks are visible through the f-holes. The instrument is accompanied by a hardshell case with a black exterior and a green felt-lined interior, which contains one wooden bow with horsehair; two additional wooden bows are also included.
The second instrument is a folk art guitar, often referred to as a canjo, featuring a body repurposed from a yellow metal rectangular canister. The wooden neck and headstock are painted yellow to match the body, which is decorated with decals depicting violins, piano keyboards, a grand piano, and musical notes. The instrument is fitted with six metal guitar-style tuning machines and metal strings. The yellow paint is applied directly over the original canister surface, and no manufacturer marks for the instrument are present.
Condition report:
The violin is in fair condition with visible wear to the varnish, particularly around the edges of the body and on the back (photo 3). The bridge is present but the strings are loose and not under tension. The bows show varying states of repair; at least two bows exhibit significant hair loss or broken strands (photo 4). The folk art guitar is in a primitive state with heavy chipping and wear to the yellow paint on the neck and headstock (photo 5). The metal body has several dents and surface corrosion visible (photo 6). The instrument is currently missing a bridge, and the strings are not properly seated for playing (photo 5).
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