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View Full Version : identification - can you read this stamp?

Radomir Polivka
07-07-2015, 07:24 AM
Dear friends, Dear Ken,

I was offered to buy the following bass. I have not seen it yet, only the pictures. Before I spend the time to travel to see it, I would appreciate to know your opinion about its origin. The name on the stamp (Rysszo?) does not ring any bell. It sounds Hungarian to me, while seller says German, 80 years.

The wood on the top plate seems sparse (not dense enough) to me.

Many thanks.
Radomir Polivka
07-07-2015, 07:25 AM
one more pic
Ken Smith
07-07-2015, 11:14 AM
I think you are right. This is a Hungarian bass all the way in my opinion. Not 80 years but maybe 8! I have seen many Hungarian basses from brand new to over 100 years old. In recent years they have been trying hard to make Italian, French, Viennese and German looking basses.

The maker used his own name in the back it seems and also used a Hungarian scroll. They often put some old junky looking gears in hopes it will fool someone. If this is 80 years old, how come there are no signs of it being played? Playing wear, varnish wear, scratches, nicks and dents are evident on all basses in use. The bass is a big instrument so it gets worm. The tip of the bow hits one side when playing on occasion and the frog hits the other and when you lift the bow for pizz in orchestra with bow in hand, the tip will sometimes scratch the top below the bridge. This is fact, the life of a bass. This bass shows almost no past living!

Also, this F-holes at the bottom, Fluted ok but the scalloped bottom wing? Looks like a Gypsy Vampire took out a bite from each side. :eek:
Radomir Polivka
07-07-2015, 06:50 PM
Many thanks, Ken. The market at least here in the Czech republic is flooded with contemporary Hungarian basses which (try to) look old. Sometimes they even have the dents which you mentioned, but till now the new machines always warned me. This bass came one step further! Thanks for your opinion, much appreciated.
Ken Smith
07-07-2015, 09:30 PM
Many thanks, Ken. The market at least here in the Czech republic is flooded with contemporary Hungarian basses which (try to) look old. Sometimes they even have the dents which you mentioned, but till now the new machines always warned me. This bass came one step further! Thanks for your opinion, much appreciated.


The Fakes are in Italy and USA as well as other countries.