Maybe it's a one off, Steve. My dad's fiddle is that way. Sure the old fiddlemaker made many, but each one was very special and, as far as I know, not labeled by him in anyway. The one my granddad got from him for my dad was amde from a log which he searched for and took out of an abandoned gold mining camp cabin in the Rockies in Colorado. Granddad also had him teach my dad to fiddle. It is beautiful and has an incredible mellow tone. That would have been back before the Depression.

Even in the 60's most of us kids in orchestra had good quality used violins. I think it has only recently, past 20-30 years, become the fashion to rent or buy cheap beginners' violins/fiddles as parents think their children may not stick with it. We were expected to stick with the piano and one other chosen instrument.

Good luck. It will be interesting to see what you can find out!

kat