Rudolf Pilsel
Maker of the finest Violins, Violas, Cellos and Bows.
Early morning cello bow making debris. Most of the shavings have gone into the vacuum cleaner.
The bright orange shavings and dust turn purple on contact with water. The wood, pernambuco, was used on former times as a source of purple dye. It is irritant and a face mask and eye protection is a wise idea. Splinters of pernambuco wood are very sharp, very painful and very difficult to extract!! The bright orange of newly worked pernambuco darkens with exposure to light finally turning a deep orange brown to nearly black!! The bow on the far right began bright orange!!!
The bright orange shavings and dust turn purple on contact with water. The wood, pernambuco, was used on former times as a source of purple dye. It is irritant and a face mask and eye protection is a wise idea. Splinters of pernambuco wood are very sharp, very painful and very difficult to extract!! The bright orange of newly worked pernambuco darkens with exposure to light finally turning a deep orange brown to nearly black!! The bow on the far right began bright orange!!!
New set of cello ribs on the former ready to use to mark out a new cello back.
Repairs to a 13 string viola d'amore, six bowed strings and seven sympathetic strings. The latter vibrate in sympathy with the bowed strings as they are played. The first two repairs are illustrated below.
Last clear coats of varnish on 15 inch viola. Lovely deep red pil varnish!! And a violo. returnee for a new bridge and a good clean.