Rainy Day Finds In Venice

PocketGroove82 · #1 05-28-2007, 02:26 AM

I just got back from visiting my wife in Venice and while we were walking around in the rain we found an instrument exhibition with instruments dating back to the 1600s. I snapped a few pics that I thought some TBers might like. The three coolest things there were an Amati from the 1600s, a miniature upright that was only about 2-3 feet tall, and some very very old bows. And here they are:
Amati 1670s

MiniBass!

OldSchool Bows

San Marco in the rain

waltzfordebby · #2 05-28-2007, 02:49 AM

wow! thanks for sharing. the first pic is gorgeous

bassist14 · #3 05-28-2007, 05:20 AM

hi PocketGroove82,
thanks for the pics!
do you have some more?

PocketGroove82 · #4 05-28-2007, 10:01 AM

My wife snapped a few more since she is a much better digital photographer than me. I will post them as soon as she sends them to me.
She is studying in Venice while I'm doing the solider thing in Seoul, S. Korea.

I'm glad someone enjoyed them. I just wish I could have gotten my hands on that Amati...but I'm pretty sure I would have been arrested! Man, it looked so playable and it really looked like it was 80 years old...not over 300!
I tried to explain to my wife what an amazing piece it was...but I was at a loss for words. The only thing I could compare it too, so that she would understand, was a Stradivari. But still, she didn't understand why I was so happy to see a single instrument.

DEEPENDMUSIC · #5 05-28-2007, 10:06 AM

What a beautiful bass. Selling my house wouldn't pay for that bass. Happy Memorial Day and keep up the good work for our country.

bribass · #6 06-02-2007, 11:51 PM

[quote=PocketGroove82;4239857]
Amati 1670s

DROOL!!

bribass · #7 06-04-2007, 07:52 PM

Not to burst bubbles but KS is of the opinion that it may be in reality a Hungarian Fake.

ibanezcollector · #8 06-04-2007, 08:02 PM

nice pics

Doug Ring · #9 06-05-2007, 01:58 AM

...of course, you also went to see Dragonetti's bass in St Mark's Cathedral, right?

jfv · #10 06-05-2007, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bribass

Not to burst bubbles but KS is of the opinion that it may be in reality a Hungarian Fake.

Oh that's rich, now we get KS's critiques 'in absentia'

So, looking at one picture he is gonna claim an exhibit
in Vienna is using a fake.... a bit hard to swallow.

ispider6 · #11 06-05-2007, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bribass

Not to burst bubbles but KS is of the opinion that it may be in reality a Hungarian Fake.

There has been an on-going debate about whether Nicolo Amati ever even made a bass. Apparently, there are no records in existence that would indicate that he made basses. Gary Karr was purported to have owned an Amati double bass but I have heard that it was only speculation and that (as with many many other basses) there is no definitive proof of its origin. Based on what I've read and heard, I'd say this bass here is not an Amati. I'd say perhaps it was made by a contemporary maker but it doesn't really look old enough to me (at least based on these photographs) to even achieve that status. I'm not suggesting KS is right but I do question that it is a true Amati.

Silversorcerer · #12 06-09-2007, 02:40 PM

Amati or not, I really love the look of the bass and like the photograph even more. While it's cool to know who created what, it's sufficient to appreciate beauty for beauty's sake. That said, Ken's probably right. That "little bass" is a viola da gamba.

Thanks for the photos PocketGroove, and your greater service to the people of the USA. My Dad was in Korea in the 50's up on some mountain with a supply base called K-9, I think.