Scottish Violin Gallery (Aberdeen & shire)

Here you will find a selection of mainly Scottish violins that we have collected or discovered over the years. Some are named, and some have yet to be identified and some have yet to be discovered!!!!. Do you have a possible Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire gem of a violin with a story to tell? Of it being in your family for decades, if so please get in contact with us and share your violin's history.

If you are unsure of your violins history, and it's been passed down generations from grandfather to father we would love to see it. Whether it's in good or bad condition, broken or smashed, we want to see it before it's gone! The information the instruments can still give us in any condition could be lost forever.

Over the next few weeks we will be showing violins from all over the North East of Scotland and mainly from Aberdeen & shire. Aberdeen City and surrounding areas being a hub for violin makers for over 250 years!!!

So if you have a violin, viola or even a cello that could have been made in Aberdeen that can be shown and included in this page

please call and have a chat about it - 07816089501 If we don't answer (I will be driving and can't take your call) please leave a message on the phone even if you hate doing it.

This unknown Aberdeen made violin has a truly wonderful sound. Dark in colour with an orange ground, and with a very distinctive scroll.

Unlabelled violin - who made this violin is unclear but whoever did, he or she was taught well and its construction is excellent.

Fully blocked and lined, inlaid purfling. The violin is constructed using a one piece front and back. Neck root is attached by a single screw under the finger board and entering the top block holding the neck in place.

The violin displays lots of the Aberdeen makers features including the fluted edge to the outer scroll.

Does your violin resemble this one ? if so please call us on 07816089501.

Click on photos to the right to take you to the Dimensions of the Instrument and more photos.

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Violin made by Richard Alexander Kilmarnock 1844

Although not an Aberdeen made violin this instrument displays a lot of good qualities of Scottish making.

Warm and mellow sound, powerful and projects well. Very robust strong violin and we can easily see this violin being played in different venues. You can really get into this instrument and not be afraid of hurting it.

Fully blocked and lined, inlaid purfling. The violin is constructed using a two piece front and back on a brown varnish.

Extensive research has been done on this violin but there is very little on the maker, I'd love to see any other violins made by this maker.

Are you doing family research into R Alexander of Kilmarnock. Is this R Alexander a member of your family tree? If so please contact us.

Does your violin resemble this one ? if so please call us on 07816089501.

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Violin made by Alexander Bothwell Aberdeen 1885

This Violin was made by Alexander Bothwell of Aberdeen in 1885

Alexander was born in Rothienorman in 1815 died in Aberdeen in 1908 and like a lot of other makers of his time he worked from Netherkirkgate having taken residence in the previously occupied violin making shop of John Young and Charles Cramond. He produced 100's of violins as well as repairing in Aberdeen

The execution in the carving of the scroll is beautiful and faultless. Aberdeenshire shows time and time again their willingness to create violins that are individual and not just another copy or interpretation of a Stradivari or other makers of the Italian school.

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This violin is loosely based on the stainer pattern of violin, but Alexander has added flair and imagination to making the scroll for this violin.

Fully blocked and lined. Inked purfling to imitate the appearance of inlaid purfling. The violin is constructed using a two piece front and two piece back of local lightly flamed Aberdeenshire sycamore and varnish is of a thinly applied brown / red spirit varnish.

This violin still has its original pegs and end pin and still retains its original neck with a single screw attaching the neck to the body of the violin and is unaltered. He is a testament to Aberdeen making.

The sound is beyond a lot of people's expectations and for its size it is truly powerful and projects incredibly well. You need to hear it in a concert hall to believe it, powerful and sweet and smooth like milk chocolate when played, Really!!!

The biggest surprise is when we look inside the violin via a camera, we found it is inscribed by the maker Alexander Bothwell with the following. Now this is truly on a different level because we haven't come across or heard of Alexander Bothwell writing anything in his violins, until now.

Inside this violin is inscribed with the following in pencil -

Made by A Bothwell Wood Selected by Peter Milne in 1885.

Bass Bar wood made from 4 pieces .

What on earth is going on you say ? We looked at the bass bar and sure enough it is made from 4 pieces of wood and is only 3 inches long compared to a conventional bass bar being 270mm long. Is this what has given this violin such a great tone?

Peter Milne "The Tarland Minstrel " 1824-1908 Played at the theatre Royal in Aberdeen and wrote a great many tunes. Was this violin the violin that Peter Milne played on or just selected the wood for making the violin with, in any case its a local piece of history to Aberdeenshire.

Are you doing family research into an Alexander Bothwell in your family tree? If so please contact us.

Does your violin resemble this one ? if so please call us on 07816089501.