Radegast School
Franz Gunther
Radegast, b. 1857
Franz Gunther (1857-after 1928) was a German violin and bow maker who trained with Ludw. Bausch and worked with his father and brother before establishing his own workshops in Halle, Potsdam, and Berlin. He was known for his Stradivari model instruments with Vuillaume-style edges, utilizing both spirit and later oil varnishes. Gunther received a gold medal at the 1898 Berlin Music Exhibition and conducted research in Milan and Cremona.
Maker Overview
Life
Franz Gunther (1857-after 1928) was born in 1857 in Radegast, Saxony, and passed away after 1928 in Tiengen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. He was the son of Georg Günther (I). Gunther apprenticed with Ludw. Bausch in Leipzig, and after Bausch's death, he completed his training with his father. From 1878 to 1880, he worked with his brother Gustav in Magdeburg. He then worked in Halle until 1886, where he established his own business after his father's death, remaining there until September 1893. On October 1, 1893, he moved to Potsdam, and in 1894, he took over the Grimm's business in Berlin, which he managed until 1901. spent time in Milan and Cremona researching his craft before settling in Zurich and eventually retiring in Tiengen, near the Swiss border.
Characteristics
- Model
- Gunther's violins were made after the Stradivari model, incorporating personal touches. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff notes that the edge was made in the style of Vuillaume, meaning it was not rounded.
- Varnish
- He used various varnishes, mostly spirit-based, until 1898. Later examples, and from 1898 onwards, utilized a superior oil recipe, specifically glaze oil paints from tubes, with shellac as the final coat.
- Construction
- He tuned the top and back plates according to his own system.
- Labels
- His labels were mostly handwritten.
- Verfertigt von Franz Günther
Berlin d..John Dilworth
Influence and legacy
- Apprenticeship: Franz Gunther was a pupil of Ludw. Bausch in Leipzig.
- Family Collaboration: He worked with his father, Georg Günther (I), and later assisted his brother Gustav in Magdeburg.
- Awards: At the Berlin Music Exhibition in 1898, he received a gold medal for his violins and bows.
Biographies
The overview above is drawn from the following published accounts. Read them in the original:
John Dilworth+
GÜNTHER, Franz Born 1857 Radegast, Saxony, d. after 1928 Tiengen, Baden-Württemberg Germany. Violin and bow maker. Son of Georg Günther (I), below. Pupil of Bausch in Leipzig. Returned to Radegast to work with his father, then assisted his brother Gustav, below, in Magdeburg 1878-1800. Later worked in Halle 1886, and in Potsdam, Berlin. Spent some time in Milan and Cremona researching his craft, then settled in Zurich and finally retired in Tiengen on the border with Switzerland. Stradivari model with personal touches. Various varnishes, mostly spirit-based. Later examples use a superior oil recipe. Verfertigt von Franz Günther / Berlin d..
Willibald Leo Lütgendorff+
Sohn von Georg G. Im Jahre 1871 kam er zu Ludw. Bausch nach Leipzig
in die Lehre und lernte nach dem Tode seines Meisters bei seinem Vater aus,
von 1878—1880 arbeitete er bei seinem Bruder in Magdeburg, dann bis 1886
in Halle, wo er sich auch nach dem Tode seines Vaters selbstständig machte
und bis Ende September 1893 blieb. Am 1. October 1893 siedelte er nach
Potsdam über und übernahm 1894 das Grimm’sche Geschäft in Berlin, das er
bis 1901 fortführte. Seine Geigen sind nach Stradivari gemacht, der Rand nach
Vuillaume (also nicht abgerundet). Bis 1898 verwendete er Spirituslack und seitdem Lasur-Ölfarben aus Tuben, als letzten Überzug Schellack. Decke und Boden stimmte er nach eigenem System ab. Auf der Berliner Musikausstellung 1898 erhielt er für seine Geigen und Bögen die goldene Medaille. Seine Zettel sind meistens handschriftlich.
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Working in Radegast at the same time
Georg (I) Gunther worked 1853
Gustav Gunther 1853–1929