Auguste Sebastian Bernadel, 1858 ?

[Ken Smith]

Can I please see some pics of the back button by the neck/upper back area? I want to see the Purfling around the upper back. All the Bernardel Basses I have seen were of Violin form. That is a pretty famous maker and label to be in a gamba shaped Bass. Also the scroll has 4 German hatpeg gears. Never on a French Bass will you see those gears. German and French just don't mix. Most older French Basses were 3-strings as well. The shape of that pegbox is German in its curve and not like any French Scroll I have seen.

The Varnish is a beautiful color with hint of gold underneath. If this Bass is all original and French let alone Bernardel Pere' (the father) then I have just been re-educated.

My guess would be a nice German Bass from 1880-1900 with a Bernardel label, hence a copy but hey, anything is possible. I have seen Jacquet, Lamy and Barbe' Basses in Gamba form but never a Bernardel, sorry.