A maker's name to go with this label?

[360guy]

Can anyone identify the maker of this bass? I've been searching on my own for awhile at the library and online but perhaps one of the members could help me out.

I think the picture of the label should show OK but just incase the initials appear to be FSK with a crucifix image or FSTK. I was thinking it could also be FK TS( + son/sons).

It is a flatback. It is a Czech bass. I hope to get to repairing it next month. The top has some beautiful tight grain so I think it has potential to be a sweet bass.

Thanks for any help you can give me!

[wayne holmes]

label looks familiar-more pictures would be helpful-I don't think that you will have any problem getting some good info if there were close-ups of everything. You might check with Ken Smith-I'm sure he has run across that label before- How do you know that it is a Czech bass? Good luck!

[360guy]

It's difficult to read but on the lower edge of the label it reads " made in Czechoslovakia". There was a label on the G side f hole too but it was too far gone to be of any help. It was in fact unnoticeable except for the tiniest fragment of paper ( < 1/4") that was folded over on itself. But maybe that tells us something. Most of the basses I 've seen only have a label on the one side.

I'll try to post more photos so there is more info to go on.
thanks for your help!

[Harling]

Looks a lot like this label in my son's Czech bass which is an importers label rather than a maker's label.
http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/...eat=directlink

[wayne holmes]

oh-thanks

[MIKMAN]

During the Soviet era the former Czechoslovakia produced thousands of instruments in the state factory in Luby, where now is Strunal, under the label "Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis". These instruments were distributed worlwide by local dealers. One of these instrument is yours. If you want an evaluation of its quality please send a PM to me.

[Matthew Tucker]

Frantisek Spidlen had a workshop in Krizovnicka Street, Prague, Bohemia, now the Czech republic, at the turn of the century.

[MIKMAN]

Dear Matthew the Czechoslovakian Republic was founded in 1919-1920, but instruments with this label appeared after 1947. The People's Republic closed every private enterprise in the country and the majority of the luthiers were obliged to work in the Stare factories. Some of them produced their own masterpieces but they sold them unlabeled in the black market, since the State stictly forbidden any private dealing (and the subsequent profit). The initials belong probably to the master luthier who actually made this double bass, although this practice became legal only after 1965 and for instruments made under commission from well known clients from abroad. There are however some instruments made between 1947 and 1965 in the State factory, which are fully signed by the luthier. I own a violin made and signed by Otto Prenosil in Jihlava, a real gem in my collection.
As for the bass i think it is a classic sample of this era, means good, decent instrument, built a bit towards the heavy side. As you all know, the student's basses of this era became the vintage basses of today.
My $0.02
Mike

[Matthew Tucker]

Yes, I was just postulating what FSK might stand for. Do you have any other ideas?

[MIKMAN]

As a matter of fact i'm going to consult mr Miroslav Bures, the owner of Atelie Paganini in Prague. He deals with many instruments (vintage and new) from Central Europe and probably he knows more about this particular label. I'll keep you posted.
Mike

[360guy]

Here are more photos. Thanks for all the effort to help solve the mystery!

[360guy]

More photos. There was a big hole punched through the G-side rib.

[360guy]

Anyone have this: Baxter's Data Base of violin and Bow Makers?

2nd Q: Is it worth the money? Have you been able to identify labels like the one I have with it?