Ken, thank you so much for your consideration, this to me is important as you know how the work is.
About the wood, for what I can say is spruce, not larch or pine. The top is in three pieces, the outer ones with tighter grain then the center one, the winter lines well visible.
A dendrocronological research would be helpful, even if not definitive, but this depends on the owner, and as the bass is not on the market I guess I will have to wait some times for it.
Anyway, to give an attribution is always not easy, seem that any instrument with that shape or a similar one was labelled "Maggini" now or then.
What was amazing while working on this bass was the workmanship of the maker, for what was left after wears, alterations and bad repairs. If it was made in England I must admire the forger.
I have doubts about the head being original to the body, not only for the cleaner hand but also becouse it is so well preserved in comparison.
Anselm, the first impression was that it is easy to play, very good on the treble, sweet but not loud on the bass.
Also, there was a wolf tone on A, at the octave of the third string, not heavy.
I would like to hear it with solo strings, but flexocore orchestra are quite a standard here for a first set up for arco playing.
Eric, I did not count the hours, the bass was on a table in the workshop while I was doing my everyday work and I worked on it time by time. It was a presence.
Thanks all.
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