Peter White – #259 Violin

This violin, #259, was created in 2019 with the artistic intention to recreate the look of a current day, in-worn Stradivari violin. The instrument is based upon the Hill and Sons diagram of the Messiah violin, however, the color is instead a golden brown with very slightly antiquing. When Stradivari violins take on the age of hundreds of years, much of the red colors are slightly muted, while the gold and the brown varnish remains, creating a beautifully polished, glowing finish. This violin retains some of the red tints, but primarily emphasizes golden brown hues with highlights in the upper and lower bouts of the top.

The maker’s most precise control of gouges, files, and knives, help provide the dimensions, sweep, and curves, of an antique Stradivari scroll. White’s artistry is most evident in the instrument’s pegbox and scroll. Here again, the scroll contains the same combination of brown varnish shown with golden highlights. Nothing on this violin is worn or scratched without purpose, as one might find in other antiqued copies of Stradivari violins. Ultimately, it’s a matter of the taste, considering how much the maker chooses to antique any instrument. Professional musicians are extremely attracted to the full and sweet tones of this instrument. This violin is suitable for any classical player.

Peter White has won many gold medals in American contests for his violins, violas, and cellos. He has also won a gold medal for his detailed copy of Andrea Amati’s 1560 violin and viola. This award was given to him at the first International Competition for Antiqued Instruments in 2010, Cremona, Italy. Most of White’s education in violin making was done under Jan Pawlikowski in Krakow Poland, and through short internships in other European violin shops.