Here is a stunning H Karner violin from 1977, made in Mittenwald, Germany and in Excellent Condition. The Karner family has a tradition of masterful violin making, dating to the late 18th Century, and this is an excellent example of the craftsmanship of their work. It comes with a 29 1/4” round stick, Neudorfer bow, silver mounted, dead straight and freshly haired.
The violin has only a few, entirely minor marks from playing, most notably a scratch on the top, hidden beneath the tailpiece, where the fine tuners rubbed the finish. The bridge and action are well set and the ebony fingerboard is smooth, without any dings or divots. The tuning pegs fit snugly and the violin holds a tune very well. The ebony tailpiece features four fine tuners. There is a small chip out of the edge of one of the bridge feet, but it does not interfere with the functioning of the bridge in any way.
The top is a finely grained select Spruce, with a grain structure that opens as the top reaches either edge (perfect for a well voiced instrument). The back is a two piece Maple, with a medium curl. There are no cracks, splits or open seams on the instrument. It comes with a Jaeger case that is a bit worn, but perfectly functional.
Here are the important specs:
Total Length: 23 5/16”
Corpus Length (from edge of button): 352mm
Major Width: 206mm
Minor Width: 168mm
Waist: 114mm
Rib Height: 31mm
Scroll (tip to edge of Fingerboard): 113mm
Neck (nut to Root): 137mm
Arch Height: 60mm
Vibration Length: 328mm
At 23 5/16” in length, this instrument is about 3/16” shorter than what would commonly be called a 4/4 violin. However, it is larger than 7/8 size. It is possible that this violin was made to be a full sized instrument for a smaller adult.
Karner violins are more commonly found in the fine violin shops of Europe, where they routinely sell for $3500 to $4500. Neudorfer bows retail from $2000 up. This one is in particularly fine condition and has been freshly rehaired.
Please be sure to check all of the photos carefully, as I have tried to capture this instrument from every angle.