It's a little late to horsewhip my would-be Antonio Stradivarius. The label provenancing the fiddle as his work of 1721 was never in doubt as a fake (as many thousands are), but I had a violin/cello maker have a close look, and he credited it to Mittenwald, dated as late 19th century.

Oh, but when his equally qualified missus played it in the classical style it deserves (the opposite of the juke-joint style I scratch out) it was the most beautiful sound I think I have ever heard. So I don't hold it against that anonymous German Tony wannabe, just slightly sad he didn't put his own name, with righteous pride, on a fine fiddle.

Skipjack