Tyrol/Tirol bassics..(Blockless style)

[Jonas Lohse]

I more and more tend to the thesis that most (if not all) blockless basses from the 20th century considered to be from Tirol are actually from Vogtland/Bohemia.
First of all: there are hundreds of known makers from Bohemia. But who can name makers or factories from Tirol?
In the 20th century, the makers weren't able to sell their instruments directly – they 100% depended on the trade companies (aka Fortschicker or Geigenverleger). Most likely, this must have been the powerful companies from the nearby Mittenwald. These trade companies not only bought the instrument from the smaller makers, they also provided the raw and half-finished materials to the makers and decided about the quality and design.
Why should they order a different design from the tirolean makers than from the Mittenwald area makers?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Jonas Lohse

I more and more tend to the thesis that most (if not all) blockless basses from the 20th century considered to be from Tirol are actually from Vogtland/Bohemia.
First of all: there are hundreds of known makers from Bohemia. But who can name makers or factories from Tirol?
In the 20th century, the makers weren't able to sell their instruments directly – they 100% depended on the trade companies (aka Fortschicker or Geigenverleger). Most likely, this must have been the powerful companies from the nearby Mittenwald. These trade companies not only bought the instrument from the smaller makers, they also provided the raw and half-finished materials to the makers and decided about the quality and design.
Why should they order a different design from the tirolean makers than from the Mittenwald area makers?

Big Mystery here. I have since seen a few blockless basses with names from both the Saxon and the Mittenwald areas but these are older basses, late 1800s and last 1700s. I don't know how the region of the Tirol was originally attached to these basses other than the Mittenwald connection.

[Jonas Lohse]

The old bookkeeping documents (Markneukirchen Museum and archives) also give this information: Until the 1880ies, better instruments from Schönbach often beared the model name ”Tyrolean Violin“, while the "Dutzendware" (more simple violins sold in dozens) beared the model name ”bohemian violins".
So the Schönbach makers called their better instruments "Tyrolean".

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Jonas Lohse

The old bookkeeping documents (Markneukirchen Museum and archives) also give this information: Until the 1880ies, better instruments from Schönbach often beared the model name ”Tyrolean Violin“, while the "Dutzendware" (more simple violins sold in dozens) beared the model name ”bohemian violins".
So the Schönbach makers called their better instruments "Tyrolean".

Interesting..