This instrument is no longer available
A Canadian violin made in 1935 by Fred A. West



     About Fred A. West of Saskatoon I can find nothing concrete. There was a theatre owner of that name at that time... but the same Fred West? No authoritative dictionary of Canadian luthiers yet exists (though Heinl attempted one long ago, and other partial lists exist online), so this brilliant maker lacks his rightful place in Canadian history this far, it seems. This violin is the work of an artist at the height of his game, someone gifted to begin with, and plainly long experienced as a violin maker by the time this opus was made. From his inventive and brilliantly red-orange varnish to his almost too perfect scroll, edgework to rival the best of old Europe, and an open, overtone laden sound, this is a masterpiece. As several have put it on trying the violin, it sounds like a party is getting started when bow meets strings. This instrument sold quickly after some minor cleaning and setting up.