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Old 09-07-2013, 11:41 AM
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Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Hochberg View Post
I just picked up this '30s Wilfer? no label bass. A bit squatter blume than some. Similar to the Czech flatback, I think.
I have to say that I have seen two other basses recently that looked like a Morelli bass with the Juzek/Wilfer/Lang type emblem that had different labels in them. One was German and one was Czech.

What I can't figure out is how 3 basses or near identical modeling, wood, varnish, corners, and carving details as well as purfling can come from 3 separate shops around the German/Bohemian/Czech border area.

My only conclusion is that they are either from one shop that makes only basses or basses and cellos and then sold unlabelled to be labelled and then exported to USA under various contracts.. OR .. In every shop they made the exact or near exact same model.

Lemur has a c.1920 Morelli on his site, 44" mensur that is the same as the other two I found. One has a Czech label and brand and the other a German label which I have in my shop. Wood and model-wise, these would class as Master-Art models. On mine, even the linings are highly flamed with ultra tight tiger stripes.

So, I think the Germans in the Saxon area which many of them Bohemian that moved over, as well as the Bohemian shops across the border in Czech made various, similar or identical models of basses, possibly for export mainly as they all seem to be here.

It is a mystery but one thing is for sure. We have grown accustomed to these basses and like them.

Wilfer is just one of the makers known for basses and many makers with that name. Maybe one day I will start a list of all the makers I have found (and brands) that emanated from that area from the late 19th to early-mid 20th century. The list is big and some of these makers although known in Europe, are strangers over here.
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