Zacharias Fischer

History

Zacharias Fischer (1730-1812) was born on November 5, 1730, in Würzburg, Germany, and passed away there on November 27, 1812. He is recognized among violin makers whose work, despite being somewhat overestimated at times, still justifies their good reputation to a certain extent, according to Willibald Leo Lütgendorff. His finest violins date from the years 1770 to 1780, possessing a full and powerful tone, though not as noble as that of the Amati school he emulated. Fischer diligently studied his models and achieved a high degree of cleanliness in his workmanship. However, he eventually deviated from traditional methods. In 1786, he announced the invention of a process that he claimed would make his new violins equal in quality to those of Stradivari and Stainer. This method, however, most likely involved drying, or 'baking,' the wood in an oven. George Hart notes that this practice of baking wood for violin manufacture was adopted by Fischer. Cecie Stainer further explains that this method, though often attempted, has never proven successful because it is impossible to make the drying process gradual enough, resulting in a loss of tonal brilliancy. Consequently, many of his instruments from his later years are now often found to be spoiled.

Craft

• Models: Fischer utilized Tyrolean Klotz or Amati models for his instruments.
• Workmanship: He was known for his fine workmanship, closely approaching the cleanliness of his predecessors' work.
• Purfling: Some of his instruments were embellished with an angular purfling pattern.
• Varnish: His instruments featured a red-brown crackled varnish.
• Wood Treatment: In 1786, Zacharias Fischer introduced a method of drying wood in an oven, believing it would elevate his instruments to the quality of Stradivari and Stainer. This process, however, was found to make it impossible to achieve a gradual drying, leading to a loss of tonal brilliancy and often resulting in the spoilage of instruments made in his later years.

Influence

• Mentorship: Zacharias Fischer was the son and pupil of P. J. Fischer.
• Study: He incessantly studied his predecessors' models.

Legacy

• Reputation: Although his work was at times overestimated, his reputation is still justified to a certain degree.
• Reception: His instruments continue to be liked.

Further Information

• Labels: Fischer used various labels, typically in Gothic type. Examples include: "Zacharias Fischer, Hochfurstl:Lauten / und Geigenmacher in Würzburg, 1771" and "Zacharias Fischer, hochfurstl. / Lauten und Geigenmacher in / Wirzburg 1791" as noted by Hamma.
• Other Instruments: In addition to violins, he also made plucked instruments and guitars.

Summary

Zacharias Fischer (1730-1812) was a Würzburg-based violin maker, son and pupil of P. J. Fischer. He was known for his fine workmanship, often emulating Tyrolean Klotz or Amati models, and using a distinctive red-brown crackled varnish. While his best instruments from 1770-1780 are praised for their full and powerful tone, his later work was impacted by his controversial 1786 invention of drying wood in an oven, a method that ultimately compromised the tonal quality and durability of his instruments. He also crafted plucked instruments and guitars.