Louis Otto

History

Louis Otto (1844-1920) was born on July 15, 1844, in Ludwigslust, Mecklenburg, and passed away in 1920 in Düsseldorf, Germany. He was the son and pupil of Johann Karl August Otto. From 1860 to 1865, he trained with his father in Ludwigslust. Subsequently, he worked with his cousin, Ludwig Otto, in Cologne from November 1, 1865, until April 22, 1866. Following this, he joined A. Reichers in Hanover, where he remained until September 22, 1872. The very next day, he established his own independent business in Düsseldorf, located on Schützenstrasse. He was appointed luthier to the court, specifically as princely Hohenzollern's court violin maker. By the time Cecie Stainer's dictionary was published, his son was also working under him.

Craft

• Instrument Production: Louis Otto is credited with producing a significant number of instruments. John Dilworth states he made about 300 violins, 50 violas, 50 cellos, and several double basses. Cecie Stainer, however, records approximately 238 violins, 13 violas, and 33 violoncellos. Sources contain conflicting information regarding the exact number of instruments produced.
• Models: Initially, he built instruments based on Amati models. Later, he embraced Stradivari and Guarneri patterns, eventually working almost exclusively after Stradivari, often using a large pattern.
• Workmanship: His workmanship was considered very fine, and in terms of careful execution, he was said to be unsurpassed. He was one of the few violin makers of his time who still manufactured all parts of his stringed instruments himself.
• Materials: He utilized beautiful wood, often not less than twenty years old, and employed good quality varnish.
• Varnish: He developed and used an oil varnish of his own invention, which was orange in color. Since 1894, he also produced an oil varnish that was adopted by many of his colleagues.
• Personal Involvement: He personally and accurately determined the thicknesses of the back and front, cut the sound-holes, placed the sound-posts, carved the scroll, and performed the varnishing.
• Specialized Instruments: From 1900, at the suggestion of Music Director Mengelberg of the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra, he began making five-string double basses. The Concertgebouw Orchestra acquired six of these, which were widely admired for their magnificent tonal richness and exceptionally clean execution. These basses were made after a self-designed model in the Stradivari type.
• Repairs: He was very skillful at repairs, having restored about 850 fine old instruments.

Influence

• Mentorship: Louis Otto was the son and pupil of Johann Karl August Otto.
• Collaborations: He worked with his cousin, Ludwig Otto, in Cologne.
• Key Influence: He worked with A. Reichers in Hanover, and the time spent with Reichers had a lasting impact on him; he is rightly considered one of Reichers' best pupils.

Legacy

• Awards: Louis Otto received prizes at exhibitions in Düsseldorf (1880), Melbourne (1888), and Chicago (1893).
• Royal Appointment: He was appointed luthier to the court, serving as the princely Hohenzollern's court violin maker.
• Family Continuity: His son worked under him in his Düsseldorf workshop.

Further Information

• Workshop Location: His independent business was established in Düsseldorf on Schützenstrasse, specifically at 16, Schützenstrasse.
• Label Information: An example of his label reads: "Louis Otto / fecit Düsseldorf anno 1899 / No. 289".
• Varnish Production: He produced an oil varnish for other professionals starting in 1894.

Summary

Louis Otto (1844-1920) was a distinguished German luthier, born in Ludwigslust and active in Düsseldorf. He trained under his father, Johann Karl August Otto, and was significantly influenced by his time with A. Reichers in Hanover. Establishing his own workshop in 1872, he became the princely Hohenzollern's court violin maker. Otto was renowned for his exceptionally fine workmanship, utilizing aged wood and his self-developed orange oil varnish. He crafted a variety of instruments, including violins, violas, cellos, and specialized five-string double basses for the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra, primarily following Stradivari models. His expertise also extended to the skillful restoration of numerous antique instruments, and his contributions were recognized with awards at international exhibitions.