[Elisabeth Steves]

Consignment customer calls this an "Austrian bass, ca. 1890". My guess is Tyrolean, pre-WWII, but I can't say whether or not it could be pre-1900. It would be in extraordinarily good condition to be as old as it's said to be. Exterior linings, genuine (if smallish) bass bar, real purfling, bass has been revarnished from original dark brown with the purplish-black hue seen on Viennese instruments. Oak neck. Overall a bit more nicely made than the average Tyrolean I see. Plates are not overly thin nor is the top excessively arched. No notable deformation of the top though it could possibly have been re-arched some time ago. Big, lush sound, as you'd kinda expect. We had a similar bass through the shop that was reliably dated ca. 1920. Do you see anything that would indicate this bass is older than that? Thanks in advance for any notes!