Austrio-Hungarian “Schweitzer” Violin, Circa 1900.

Although not terribly uncommon, these turn of the century trade instruments represent a fantastic alternative to purchasing a new Chinese instrument; generally featuring a mature, if not sweet sound, and antique aesthetic (complete with an imitated scroll graft), these "JB Schweitzer" violins are tough to beat for the money. Although many shops used Schweitzer as a trade name, the one this violin hails from featured labels which almost exclusively attributed the instruments' creation to 1813. Located in what was then Austrio-Hungary, this shop actually produced these violins from about 1878-1911. Having said that, these violins have absolutely nothing to do with Schweitzer himself, who died in 1865.