I have been sharing pictures and comments from my readers because I sprained my hand and haven’t been able to sew… or use the scissors to cut out anything. It’s getting better and I’m hoping soon to be back to making dolly clothes! I miss being creative…AND I’ve missed making Back to School outfits… one of my favorite seasons to sew for!
Today we have a slight twist on the “Who’s on YOUR Sofa?” posts. It has mostly been about dolls on the sofa, but today we have a “What’s” on YOUR Sofa?… (or maybe your chair!)
This is from Laura… and her German heritage!
Hi Jeanne,
My sharing niche seems to be mostly kitties and various personal treasures so I’m going to go with the “what” for now and continue to share sentimental objects.
This violin belonged to my maternal great, great grandfather who was a German cabinet maker. My grandfather played as well and I have a photo of him as a teen with his teacher. He brought it with him on the ship when he immigrated to the U.S through Ellis Island in 1927. I’m sure he played on the voyage.
from Jeanne… (Laura, my neighbor makes and carves violins and sells them… he is always getting violin supplies in the mail… they sometimes come to us. His mom plays the harp and he plays the violin with her at various events. His mom is the one who sold us our house! She called it her music studio.)
The violin was made in 1787 by Johann Gottfried Hamm in Saxony, Germany. My grandfather was born in St/ Michaelis. Lüneburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. I “played” a little on it as a child with my grandfather’s teaching, but my daughter was the one who was able to have violin lessons for 12 years and play at church, services, Christmas programs, and also with our town’s young players strings program from 5- 17.
The “Tree of Life” on the body is inlaid ebony like the ebony that is the edge purfling. The branches are inlaid with a slightly lighter wood than the violin itself.
All three photos will enlarge, (if you click on the picture) but if you enlarge that photo in particular you will see the apples on the tree as well as the cross that comes out of the top. These decorations were characteristic hallmarks of Hamm’s violins and violas. It is our oldest possession and greatly treasured.
Below is some history of the maker.
Markneukirchen – The World’s Music Corner
The Hamm Family. This prolific luthier dynasty’s best-known member is Johann Gottfried Hamm (1744-1817). Of all of the Markneukirchen violin-makers to imitate Italian style, Hamm was the most successful. His detailed, beautiful violins are exquisitely made.
The Markneukirchen master luthier Johann Gottfried Hamm, is one of the luminaries in the history of violin making in Saxony who upheld traditional artisanal approaches and an unmistakable artistic signature amidst the rapidly growing instrument-making industry.
Markneukirchen: German violin making in “German-Cremona” (corilon.com)
Blessings,
Laura
Thank you Laura,
I’m sure this violin is one of your most treasured possessions!
See everyone Monday!
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh, Laura, thank you for sharing the photos of your precious family heirloom, that beautiful violin. I’m so glad someone (your daughter) plays it; instruments are meant to be played, if at all possible, even very old ones like this!
The inlaid design is lovely, too. Such a treasure!!
Jeanne, I’m glad to hear your hand is improving. It does take time!!
Thank you so much, Charlotte!
Jeanne, I’m glad to hear that your hand is making progress! By the time you get back to your sewing room, all of us sofa sisters will know a little more about each other!
Laura, your violin from your family is beautiful, and knowing the history makes it more so! I too, have German heritqge, and I found out rather late in life that my father also played the violin when he was young, but that was never told to us for whatever reason. Music was always a big thing on both sides of my family. I wish I had the violin he played, but I think he must have had to sell the violin during the Depression. Ir’s wonderful that you have been able to hold onto yours.
It is still early here, so I will take more time to read the articles later in the day. Thank you so much for sharing this!
Thank you so much, Linda! My maternal grandparents both treasured family things. I’m sorry you don’t have your father’s violin. I’m sure my grandfather would have hung onto his at all cost. I guess compared to Germany he didn’t feel the Depression here was as bad. I know he had a job and even bought a car during the Depression years. Amazing, having just arrived two years prior with little command of the English language, but became fluent quickly thanks to his older sisters already here. Their parents would follow shortly.
Laura, what a precious heirloom! I can just see that on Antiques Roadshow! The Appraiser would be drooling!
Thank you so much, Sissy! I have had it appraised to have it insured, but it is irreplaceable.
Such a priceless treasure! I love the Tree of Life symbol, too. I thought you would share your cats 🙂
Thank you so much, Karen! Yes, I will happily share my kitties again, but they are still a “who”. 😸😸😸
What a wonderful idea it is to share your family’s treasured violin 🎻 ! I’m glad your daughter learned to play on such a special instrument. It can be the source of pleasure for a lifetime. Both of my grandchildren play the piano and Riya plays the bass in the school chamber orchestra. Krish will be playing the cello. Loved reading the articles about the violin makers. Yours is so beautiful and special!
I found a violin for Hannah in RRFF size but haven’t been able to find a bass that is the right size. Now I’ll be looking for a cello for Russell who looks like Krish. Thanks for sharing your wonderful family heritage with us.
Glad your hand is getting better, Jeanne. Thanks again for sharing my doll pictures.
Thank you so much, Susette! Yes, I dearly wish I been able to take lessons, but I assume the cost (my dad was in dental school when I was a child) and maybe no available teacher was the reason I did not. Now getting private lessons is easy. I did take piano lessons for a year and can play enough to enjoy Christmas carols.
I purchased my RRFF violin on Amazon. I just checked and they have a cello in three sizes and a double bass as well. I had to laugh at your comment yesterday about “things you never knew existed and now can’t live without”. I could also be VERY helpful in that respect even though I don’t share doll scenes as frequently. 😸
Dear Jeanne, I am glad you are doing better. Just continue to take it easy until you are ready to do more things.
Dear Laura, thanks for sharing this wonderful family treasure. The story it carries with it is just as precious.
Happy September 1 to all! (only 243 days until May)
Thank you so much, Dorothy! Since you did say “what’ also I thought I would go with that. 😁I don’t often have the time to set up doll scenes so this works. Since this is an ongoing thing I’ll be able to set up another doll scene in the future. That is, unless everyone wants to see three of my six PC/AG girls in white underpinnings and two in meet dresses as they are now. Summer is never high doll priority for me and you know I’ve shared other family/personal treasures in the past.
Dear Laura, your photographs were awesome. We are always open to new things here on the sofa. That makes me happy because I can’t do most of the things that come easy to other folks. I posted about my sewing experience. I have cooking experiences also.
We would love to see your dolls, however they are dressed. I only have one AG doll, a PC Addy. I have a ton of other 18 inch dolls though. They just all came one day and knocked on my door and, well, I had to let them in (laugh).
Have a nice holiday weekend.
Boy, I’m awfully groggy this morning. I read the first part of the post, and thought that Jeanne’s neighbor, was named Laura, and he made violins. And then, the post for today was from Laura, Jeanne’s neighbor. So, I started reading and then discovered that the post about violins was from our Laura, not Jeanne’s neighbor who makes violins. Took me awhile though. Anyway, the heirloom violin that belongs to Laura’s family is a lovely piece of art as well as what I perceive to be it’s resonic musical tone. So wonderful to have musical ability and a treasure such as this. My cousin on my father’s side was given the violin that belonged to my mother’s sister to play. My mother always thought that it would be returned, but it was not and was sold as a trade in I guess for a different model at some point. I guess they didn’t understand that it was a loaner. Anyway, we no longer have a family heirloom. 🙁
On a happier note, my RRFF girl, Cordelia, is slated for delivery today. We’ll see if FedEx complies. She only left HK a couple of days ago. Very fast delivery. 🙂
Joy, I had the same disfunction this morning but I wasn’t going to admit it. When I finally figured it out it was like duh!
HI Barbara,
I moved my comment… don’t want any more confusion… sorry about that!
Ha,ha, I too thought “Laura” was Jeanne’s neighbor, and thought that was an odd name for a man! I wondered what “our” Laura would think of the beautiful piece of furniture in the background, because I was sure it looked a lot like hers! Plus the German background would surely interest her! Well! It was “our” Laura after all!😆
Hi Linda,
Good grief… 3 ladies who were confused at my writing… I moved my comments down a few lines… sorry about that!
Joy, Sorry about the confusion. I moved my comment a few lines down… after I read it again, I realized it was confusing… sorry…
Thank you so much, Joy! We’re at the weekend so malfunctions are allowed. 😁😁😁 I’m so sorry you violin was sold. Yes, before my daughter could play this full size one she played various sizes started at a 1/10 when she was five. Each of those were traded back along with additional cash to borrow the next size. I have also lost family heirlooms, but luckily the most precious (for the most part) did make it to me.
Good luck with Cordelia. I hope you have a successful dolly caper.
Dear Joy, yeaaaaa! I can’t wait to hear how things go with Cordelia. I can hear the Mission Impossible music playing in my head. Good luck!
What a wonderful story! It could be a movie🤔 The little logo he made on each violin is remarkable. The delicate inset into that beautiful wood really makes it even more special. Love theses stories that are coming from the Sofa Sisters.
Glad your hand is improving and Hope George is improving too.
It is wedding day here and it is a nice day..pictures should be good. The rehearsal went well and the dinner afterward was at Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City, NE.home of Arbor Day. It was lovely.
Thank you so much, Kathie! I hope you have a lovely day. I’m sure you will be a beautiful Flower Grandma. 🌹
Being the lover of music that I am in a family where music is considered whatever – have no idea where I got the gene, I think it’s wonderful that not only was the beautiful violin handed down but evidently so was the love of music. I feel fortunate to have David’s mother’s/grandmother’s lovely spinet (built in 1946 the year I was born), but I’m the only one who has made an attempt at playing it. Actually Andrea took lessons for a while and was very good at sight reading but left it after a couple years in favor of theater. My grandchildren like to “play” my piano, but if I pull out one of the basic learning books I quickly discover that neither seems very interested in really learning to play.
Jeanne, so glad your hand is getting better. I figure it’s never too late for back-to-school because the clothes you usually wear to start school are soon replaced by warmer fall and winter wearing attire. Not to mention beautiful fall and winter colors and fabrics.
Thank you so much, Barbara. The music gene passed down well on my mom’s side. Everyone either played an instrument (even a little) or sings or both. Your spinet must be beautiful. My great aunt had one.
I’m glad to hear your hand in improving, Jeanne. I’ve really enjoyed all these “Stories from the Sofa Sisters” as Kathie put it. A really fantastic idea on Dorothy’s part. I have other family heirlooms left to share as well as precious kitty photos in the future if everyone wants to indulge me. I also look forward to more from the Sofa Sisters whenever you need a break. Not to say I don’t love to see your beautiful sewing creations, of course. I’ll bet Ten Ping thinks you’ve forgotten about her outfit and she will get to keep it😁