Max Mockel

History

Max Mockel (1873-1937) was born in 1873 and died in 1937 in Berlin, Germany. He was the son and pupil of Oswald Möckel. According to John Dilworth, he worked in Warsaw from 1897, then in Moscow, and from approximately 1899 to 1902 in St. Petersburg. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff notes that he opened his own workshop on October 1, 1899, after working with Geisser in St. Petersburg. He returned to Berlin in 1914 and established a business in Charlottenburg from 1920.

Craft

• Models: Max Mockel was a prolific maker, working on Stradivari and particularly Guarneri del Gesù models.
• Varnish: He was assisted by a Russian chemist, Dr. Golonin, in preparing his own oil varnish. Lütgendorff states that in conjunction with chemist Golonin, he produced an excellent violin varnish that resembled those of the old masters.
• Workmanship: His work is described as very refined.
• Production: He made an average of 50 instruments per year, which sold quickly at good prices.

Influence

• Training: He was the son and pupil of Oswald Möckel.
• Mentorship: He worked with Geisser in St. Petersburg.

Legacy

• Awards: Max Mockel received awards at Liège in 1954.
• Publications: He authored Das Konstruktions gehemnis der alten Italienischen Meister (The Construction Secrets of old Italian Masters), published in Berlin in 1925, and Die Kunst der Messung im Geigenbau (The Art of Geometry in Violin Making), published in Berlin in 1935.

Further Information

• Workshop Locations: He worked in Warsaw, Moscow, St. Petersburg, and later established a business in Charlottenburg, Berlin.
• Labels: Examples of his labels include "Max Möckel Geigenmacher / St. Petersburg, anno 1902", "Max Möckel / Berlin 1930", and "Max Möckel / Charlottenburg".

Summary

Max Mockel (1873-1937) was a German violin maker, the son and pupil of Oswald Möckel, known for his prolific work on Stradivari and Guarneri models and his refined craftsmanship. He worked in various cities including Warsaw, Moscow, and St. Petersburg before returning to Berlin to establish his own business in Charlottenburg. Mockel also developed his own oil varnish with the help of a chemist and authored two books on violin making.