Today I inspected the old wooden case that came with the fiddle I bought from the Slovakian gypsy musician (and which is maybe a J.T.L violin in the lower price range - or maybe not).
To my surprise I found back a very old tiny piece of rosin wrapped in cardboard and in the same compartment there was also a piece of plastic that looked like another bow holder.
When I realized it really was another bow holder, I decided to give the case its old charms back.
I carefully used some wood glue to glue the loose parts of the interior back onto the wood. Then I searched in my screw box for a tiny screw that matched the other screw of the bow holder. The only thing needed next was my tiny ini mini screw driver and after having a look at the other bow holder I managed to put the second bow holder back in place, precisely the way I think it was supposed to be attached.
Then I used some cleaning vinegar with eucalyptus -which I recently bought- to gently clean the exterior and the interior of the case ... and while doing this I realized what a beautiful color the inside has, the green matches this fiddle so well. So the moment had come it was time to put the fiddle that my luthier restored so carefully back in the case that came with it when I bought it, together with my two favorite bows: the carbon one with Mongolian horse hair (who knows if this is for real?) and the wooden bow I like to play with once I handle a tune sufficiently.
Today I found another treasure. And again I feel like the richest woman in the world.
Edited by - Quincy on 12/14/2025 10:22:40
Yup - looks great!
Good job, Anja. Just one thing - if you cleaned the interior with vinegar, make sure its really thoroughly dry before you put the violin in it, so as not to damage the finish.
I admire your methodical approach and organization! Screw box? This whole house is a screw box!
73
Thanks, Old Scratch and Doug.
Doug, no worries I was very cautious with the interior, no harm was done to this piece of art hehe.
I just found out I will have to do the basic license exam again but I have time enough for this - at least I think so. Did not pay my annual fees in time, al lot of this has to do with me living on several adresses during the past years. But the good news is : I recently inherited all of my father's old course books and notes , carefully stocked on my parents' attic for years, a quite impressive collection of knowledge that I highly value.
I'll study for the basis license again, but just on my own, might need some help from a club for the practical testing, but then that knowledge is also up to date again and then I can continue for the full license. I got everything that is needed (and a lot more even :-D)
Meanwhile I turned off all google apps on my smartphone, made sure I can listen on my mobile device to the very alive FM stations around here (I love the waterfall function on my smartphone's FM radio app!) , which is just amazing . And I sabotaged the Google Assistent / Gemini button with some candle wax - just in case, because you never know.
My facebook account is now a ghost account and so is my gmail address and YouTube channel.
The only thing I allow at the moment is WhatsApp, but only for as long as I am assured the chat control law proposal did not become reality in the EU. I also prepared my second hand ThinkPad with Ubuntu and went cables only on everything, with a nice 0/1 switch on my contact box . I still got 1.5 years of Ubuntu support, then the plan is to switch to another Linux distribution. Because you know, pig politics haha :-D
The overall goal however is not to be distracted by social media while starting to study again, but we all know it has some deeper reasons as well. Nothing but a good old forum full of old timers!
As a communication scientist and thus a so called 'soft scientist' the entry to exact sciences lies in radio communication for me. I was busy studying for the full license after obtaining my basic license, but you know, then mom thought : let's buy her a violin hahaha and we all know what kind of delay that caused LOL.
But the day I saw that documentary of Hazel Dickens, that was the day it all started to make sense ;-)
Not sure where this all will lead to but when I need a break there will always be fiddle and there will always be music. That's an exciting thought haha.
As always, filter off haha, keep collecting those screws !
73,
Anja
Is the interior made of felt? I never knew how to clean that, but I have this one old case here that might benefit from that.
@Tim: all I can say is it has all of the looks and feel of a very thin layer of these fabrics, yes.
Great job, Anja! Looks beautiful and that is a very nice fiddle and case. Something to enjoy forever.
Good luck on the licensing exams. Hope that all works out for you while you also have fun with the fiddle!
@Groundhogpeggy: thank you for your support!
It would rock my world if one day I could hear Edden Hammons' Queen of the Earth, Child of the Skies version being moonbounced back to earth.
(What are we if we would not be made of dreams and hope)
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