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Originally Posted by drurb  Watching too much TV? Not everything has to be a two-parter. Why not just finish the story in one post? |
Durub/Darryl or whatever your real name is Mr. Ghost, why must you challenge everything almost everyone writes here and make them prove their point day in an day out?. This, I mean YOU and this habit of yours is getting old, quick, real quick! Find a hobby will you!!
To everyone else.. Ok, on the Label.. Here is my theory and why. This bass was down in Argentina for a real long time and was brought up to NYC by a friend of the owner to sell which was successful because I took it home the same night his plane landed..
After and during both World Wars many people from Europe left for a better or different life or just to escape from one thing or another and landed in South America. I think they mostly had to go thru local Customs at one point to leave and taking and obvious Valuables were probably not allowed. The maker Rivolta was not that famous 100 years ago like Guarneri or Ruggeri, Rogeri, Busan etc. but considered just a maker who lived and worked. He did however win gold and silver medals in competitions but was still not a classic.
My thinking is one of the following; Maybe this label was put into the Bass instead of either a more famous one who made the bass or just to have a label so as not to be suspect and be rejected as a possible treasure and not let out of the country. The other possibility is that they just put the label in there to sell the Bass but the label was in there a long time and would not come out easy during the restoration so Eibert put some clear tape over it to preserve it. Maybe not a good idea as that is permanent and will rip the label if ever removed but it was done so it is what it is.
The bottom line is I don't really know how or why that Label is in there. The other possibility which one appraiser suspected is that the Bass is Rivolta and made earlier and labeled later. Also, the Bass is cut at the shoulders over 150 years ago and the shape is similar to an original 1841 Rivolta I have seen which by the way looked half its age and the Varnish as well was different and newer though original. Pollmann had 'that' Rivolta in their shop for repairs, sent me pictures to compare a few years ago and is the same Rivolta they used to make their Rivolta copy.
My Bass seemed more like something from the 18th century and not the 19th. Even after the Cut the bass with an Eb Neck had a 44" string length. After Restoration I had barely a D neck and still just over 42". This was an old School bass.
Labels can be put anywhere at anytime. A real label doesn't mean a real bass or violin. It just means a real label. Also, there is no rule against the Bass being better than it's label either which is less likely but still possible as witnessed here in my story.
why? 
