The
instruments shown here represent a sampling from our collection.
Please
contact us with your needs and we will do our best to find the right
instrument for you.
Viola
by Vencenzo Cavani, Spilamberto, 1905.
Born in 1889, this award-winning maker completed his first violin at age
11, and his first cello at age 13. If
the date on this original label is correct, he would have been 16 years
of age when it was finished. However,
in his later years, Cavani was known to pre-date some of his instruments,
and my experience tells me that this viola, which is in nearly mint condition,
probably dates from the 1950s. This
viola is a very fine example of the maker’s work.
16 1/8 inches (41 cm). CM#3536
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| Cavani Front
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| Cavani Back |
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| Cavani Side |
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| Cavani F
hole |
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| Cavani Scroll
Front |
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| Cavani Scroll
Side |
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Click
on the thumbnails for a larger picture.

Viola by Nicholas Augustin Chappuy,
Mirecourt, 1748. Length is 40.0cm. (15 1/2"). Chappuy
was 18 years old when this instrument was made. He moved to Paris where
he became one of the best known and prolific makers of his day, especially
of gambas and quintons made in the French style with beautifully carved
heads. This viola is in a remarkable
condition, bearing the maker's original label and brand, as well as a
repair label dated 1836, showing us when the modern neck was fitted. CM#
3552
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| Chappuy
Front |
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| Chappuy
Back |
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| Chappuy
Side |
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| Chappuy
F hole |
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| Chappuy
Scroll Front |
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| Chappuy
Scroll Side |
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| Chappuy
Brand |
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Click
on the thumbnails for a larger picture.

Viola by Giuseppe Giannarelli,
ca 1930. Length is 41.6cm. Label "Ricardo Antoniazzi Cremonese."
This is a very fine-sounding
viola in near mint condition, with beautiful, highly-flamed maple back,
sides and scroll. It is very rare to find an Italian viola of this vintage
for such a reasonable price. CM# 3228
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| Giannarelli
Front |
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| Giannarelli
Back |
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| Giannarelli
Side |
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| Giannarelli
F hole |
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| Giannarelli
Scroll Front |
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| Giannarelli
Scroll Side |
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Click
on the thumbnails for a larger picture.

Viola by Matale Carletti,
ca 1950. Length is 42.1cm. Label "Ansaldo Poggi, Bologna 1921."
CM#3371
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| Carletti
Front |
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| Carletti
Back |
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| Carletti
Side |
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| Carletti
F hole |
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| Carletti
Scroll Front |
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| Carletti
Scroll Side |
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Click
on the thumbnails for a larger picture.

Viola by David Carón,
Taos, NM, 1986. Length is 16 7/16 inches or 41.8 cm. This viola is
David’s 77th instrument. This
viola is a very fine example of the maker's work from this period. It
has a very powerful, warm, and clean tone, with great response.
CM#3161.
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| Carón
Front |
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| Carón
Back |
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| Carón
Side |
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| Carón
F Hole |
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| Carón
Scroll Front |
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| Carón
Scroll Side |
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Click
on the thumbnails for a larger picture.

Viola by David Carón,
Taos, NM, 1995. Length is 16 inches or 40.7 cm. This viola is David’s
125th instrument. The
back and sides are very beautiful, of highly-flamed Bosnian maple; the
top is Engelmann spruce. The varnish
is David’s very fine oil varnish, which is a deep orange-brown color over
a golden base. The tone is clear
and projecting and will fill any hall. CM#3322
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| Carón
Front |
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| Carón
Back |
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| Carón
Side |
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| Carón
F hole |
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| Carón
Scroll Front |
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| Carón
Scroll Side |
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Click
on the thumbnails for a larger picture.

Violas custom made by
David Carón
upon request!
SOLD:Viola
by William Forster Senior, London, ca 1770. Length is 39.5cm. This
beautiful viola is a lovely example of the maker’s work from this period.
It has a one-piece back of beautifully flamed wood with much of the original
varnish intact, and bears the original label from the maker. This could
be a wonderful instrument for a violinist who loves to double on viola.
CM# 3439
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| Forster
front |
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| Forster
Back |
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| Forster
Side |
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| Forster
F hole |
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| Forster
Scroll front |
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| Forster
Scroll side |
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| Forster
Label |
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Click
on the thumbnails for a larger picture.

SOLD:
Viola by Pierre Pacherele, Nice, 1858. Pacherele was a
French maker who spent the greater part of his career in
Turin making instruments
for Johannes Pressende. This
viola, the very best example of the maker’s work that I have seen, actually
bears his own label and is a bench copy of an Amati viola. It was most
likely made as a special commission for an important customer. With a
beautiful one-piece back, highly-flamed sides and scroll, deep red-brown
varnish and near mint condition, this viola is a great choice for anyone
seeking a fine investment quality instrument. Clear
rich tone with quick response. Certificate
from William Moennig & Sons. CM# 3479
SOLD:
Viola by Nicolo Gagliano, Naples, 1763. Certificates
by W. E. Hill & Sons and Emil Hermann. This instrument is a very rare
and important example of the master's work. Very few violas were made
by the Italian masters of the 18th century, and only a small percentage
of their production were what we consider today to be full-sized.
This was especially true of the Neapolitan School, whose violas
were rarely larger than 151/4 inches in length. The
magnificent example you see pictured below is a full 16" in length,
with generous proportions throughout the body, and is the only full-sized
Gagliano family viola I have seen in my entire 26 year career. The
instrument is in an unusually fine state of preservation, with only one
minor crack in the belly, and retains more than 90% of its original varnish. The
tone is clear, singing and powerful, with a rich palette of colors that
require little effort to produce. I
feel truly privileged to offer this wonderful instrument.
SOLD:
Viola by CH. J.B. Collin-Mezin, Paris, 1950. Length is 42cm. It
is in mint condition and represents the highest grade from the workshop
of that period. CM#3438
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