Where did your century-old violin with a fake Stradivari come from, and what does it mean to be a German “trade” of “factory” fiddle? The small town of Markneukirchen became symbolic of everything from industrialised production of violins to small cottage industries making everything from individual parts to complete instruments, and at a range of levels that reflected the different elements of the market that they could market to – from the very cheap, the very affordable, to the best instruments available for the mail order market of Chicago’s Sears Roebuck Company. The Wide World Magazine, whose motto was that “Truth is Stranger than Fiction” ran from 1896 until the 1965, and an article by Chas. J. L.Clarke in 1906 romantically but astutely describes the high-point of the villages of violin makers that surrounded Markneukirchen and the men, women and children who worked in the violin trade: There is a district in Germany where whole communities men, women, and children alike are occupied in one industry, the making of violins, which are constructed throughout in their own cottages. In this article Mr. Clarke describes and illustrates this flourishing village industry. If you have ever wondered where your violin comes from, or what the environment that created your violin with a fake Stradivari label, this is as charming a text as it is invaluable. Read on…
There is a district in Germany where whole communities men, women, and children alike are occupied in one industry, the making of violins, which are constructed throughout in their own cottages. In this article Mr. Clarke describes and illustrates this flourishing village industry.
By Chas. J. L. Clarke., from The Wide World Magazine, 1906.
We have little conception in this country of the concentration of specialized manufacture in limited districts. The few village industries which have survived the stress of modern competition are, with certain isolated exceptions, being rapidly driven from the markets by the immense manufacturing concerns which are centred in the towns. There are, however, still a few articles which are manufactured by the workers in their own homes, and one of the largest of these trades though small in comparison with the Continental village industries is the manufacture of hand-made gloves in the West of England. Nevertheless, like all other work which the English villagers can do in their homes, this industry is being concentrated in factories, and the cottagers simply do the sewing, the gloves being delivered to them ready cut out, and afterwards collected by representatives of the firms engaged in the business.
A great effort has been made by a number of aristocratic ladies to revive some of these village industries in England, and with a certain measure of success. Such revival is noticeable in the ancient Buckingham lace industry, which finds employment for many old cottagers. Even so, these examples do not compare with some of the Continental village industries, for practically it is only the adults who do the work, while in such instances as the toy-makers of the Black Forest every man, woman, and child in the community is engaged. They draw their power supply from the rivers which run past their primitive cabins, and the whole family take part in the manufacture of toys, from the smallest child upwards. Little ones of five and six spend many weary hours in fashioning some component part of the cheap playthings, the making of which forms the means of livelihood for the family. Perhaps the most remarkable of all these village industries, however, is to be found in the neighbourhood of Markneukirchen, in Saxony, which is the only place in the wide world where the manufacture of violins constitutes the staple industry both of the town and its numerous surrounding villages.
Something like fifteen thousand people find a means of livelihood in a restricted area solely by the manufacture of violins, every member of a family being employed in making some small part of these musical instruments. Grey haired grandparents, fathers and mothers in the prime of life, and small boys and girls all work together in their homes.
Like the Black Forest toy-makers, the people of Markneukirchen are not makers of parts alone. Each instrument is made and finished from “neck” to “heel” and from “belly” to “back.” and completed violins are turned out from each single cottage from the crude seasoned wood, of which the villagers often keep a considerable stock.
This community of violin-makers has lived and worked here, father and son, for generations, and this was probably one of the first districts to establish the manufacture of the sweet-toned and popular instruments. They are made to-day on the recognised pattern, which has remained practically unaltered since the form which was determined at the latter end of the sixteenth century by the world-renowned Antonio Stradivari, at Cremona. Strange to say, this latter town has now little interest in violin-making, being engaged principally in the silk, porcelain, and earthenware trades.
The country around Markneukirchen is dotted with dwellings at irregular intervals, many of them ancient-looking wooden farmhouses. Farming, however, has long since ceased, and the edged tool and glue pot are the implements of the occupants. The villagers themselves are hard-working, independent folk; the men sturdy specimens of humanity, with their coarse aprons and heavy leather boots, and the women neat and cleanly. Each homestead generally contains a fairly large family, and in many instances, where three generations are living under the same old roof, the cottage resembles a miniature factory, so many labourers are there at work.
It would be as well to at once remove the impression which many may jump to, that the villagers are necessarily makers of cheap, low-class violins. As a matter of fact the exact opposite is the case, and a beautiful presentation instrument, which was given to the world-famed Paganini, was made entirely by one of the villagers in this particular district.
Apart from the fact that the better the instrument the better the price obtained, the system by which the family produces and finishes the complete violin, instead of merely one part, as in some of our specialized industries – tends to give them an extraordinary pride in their handiwork. Although representing many days and hours of tedious labour, and the certainty of an excellent price if they cared to sell them, many villagers keep by them violins which are marvels of careful workmanship and splendid finish, and these are passed on from father to son, and are kept in the family as treasured heirlooms, shown whenever a connoisseur may visit the homes. Seldom are these much prized instruments parted with, save as a last resource in time of stress. In one of our photographs will be seen an aged violin-maker holding a cherished instrument his masterpiece which he made in his youth, and with which he is not likely to part, nor his family after him.
This same spirit induces the juveniles to work carefully from their earliest childhood up with the sole, though very laudable, ambition to make good violins. The child shows the same pride in the first violin which he has made by his own unaided efforts as he will do in later life in the best example of his skill. The little fellow in our illustration is about nine years of age, and is holding his first violin in his hand.
The tools employed by some of the villagers are somewhat primitive, although answering their purpose admirably. A crude device for holding part of the body of a violin while it is being reduced to the necessary thickness is shown in one of our photographs.
The work of producing the bulk of the violins is split up amongst the various members of a family, one man devoting the principal part of his time to making the pegs, another to fashioning the “necks,” a third to shaping the “back” and ” belly,” and yet another to cutting the peculiar shaped sounding holes in the belly. Others glue up, polish, varnish, and finish the instruments.
In the warm weather the violin-makers often resort to the open air, doing as much of their work as possible in the yards at the rear of their houses. In wet and cold weather, however, nearly every room is utilized as a workroom, some houses even having benches fitted up in the sleeping-rooms.
From time to time, as a batch of violins is finished, some members of the families pack up the results of their industry in readiness for sale. It is a common sight to see sturdy villagers and peasant lads wending their way from outlying districts to the town of Markneu-kirchen with canvas-covered packages on their backs, often towering high above the heads of the carriers. Some carry their productions in special wicker baskets, while those who have made larger instruments carry them openly, tied loosely together. Some few who are specially occupied in the manufacture of bows bring really enormous quantities of these to the town for sale.
In Markneukirchen itself a number of very large factories exist, where violins are made throughout, but firms are easily found who are ready buyers of the peasants’ hand made productions. The instruments are purchased by the dealers at prices which vary according to the quality of the workmanship, and many families have a reputation for turning out a certain grade of violin, for which they receive a recognised price. Throughout the world these sweet-toned instruments are distributed, all owning Markneukirchen and the surrounding villages as their birthplace. Some find a place in fashionable houses, others drift into cheaper channels. while quite a number are destined to feel the touch of master fingers, and delight with their harmony the ears of thousands who know not that Markneukirchen and its curious community of violin-makers exist.
Such are these village violin-makers, simple, homely, and independent people, living on from year to year, generation succeeding generation, with only one object and one ambition – the production of violins. From the town, as far as the eye can reach, it is safe to say that two out of every three of the occupants of the cottages are busy making instruments which will go to swell the music of the world.
