Ferdinand (II) Patzelt

History

Ferdinand (II) Patzelt (1854-after 1912) was born in 1854 in Vienna, Austria, and died after 1912 in Meissen, Germany. He was the son and pupil of Johann Ferdinand Patzelt. According to John Dilworth, he was apprenticed at the Grimmschen shop with his father. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff states that after his apprenticeship, he initially intended to become a painter and attended the Berlin Art Academy. However, the premature death of his father compelled him to return to violin making. He established himself independently in 1876, opening his own workshop in Berlin with his brother, who assisted him for some time. He moved to Dresden in 1883 and finally settled in Meissen. Sources contain conflicting information regarding the location of a significant award, with John Dilworth mentioning a first prize awarded at Boulogne, while Willibald Leo Lütgendorff specifies Bologna for a quartet with balsam fir tops.

Craft

• Approach: Willibald Leo Lütgendorff describes Patzelt as a thoughtful artist who did not view the slavish copying of Italian masters as the sole path to successful violin making. He believed that the well-considered proportions of old masters' instruments were disrupted when necks (mensuren) had to be lengthened and bass bars enlarged due to the higher modern pitch and increased tension.
• Principles: Patzelt maintained that what could and must be successfully altered in old violins to meet modern demands should not become the rule for new instruments. He followed the principles of the great masters by accounting for increased tension and constructing violins whose overall design did not require the modifications essential for old masterworks.
• Material Innovation: He was the first German violin maker, at the instigation of O. Lessmann, to construct violins from balsam fir wood (Balsamfichte), a material discovered by Concertmeister Schradieck in America. Patzelt considered the lighter and more delicate structure of this resin-poor spruce, and the results were satisfactory in every respect.
• Branding: He used a brand mark. John Dilworth notes his instruments were branded: 'F. Patzelt / Dresden /1899'.

Influence

• Parentage & Training: He was the son and pupil of Johann Ferdinand Patzelt. He received his apprenticeship at the Grimmschen shop alongside his father.
• Early Education: Willibald Leo Lütgendorff notes that he attended the Berlin Art Academy, initially pursuing a career as a painter.

Legacy

• Awards: A quartet with balsam fir tops made by Patzelt received the first prize in Bologna, according to Willibald Leo Lütgendorff. John Dilworth also mentions a first prize awarded at Boulogne.
• Reputation: His work is described as fine, though slightly eccentric by John Dilworth. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff states that his works receive unrestricted praise, and he is considered a worthy son of his excellent father, a fine connoisseur, and a capable violinist.

Further Information

• Workshop Locations: He established his independent workshop in Berlin in 1876 with his brother. He moved to Dresden in 1883 and subsequently to Meissen.
• Branding: His instruments were branded: 'F. Patzelt / Dresden /1899'.

Summary

Ferdinand (II) Patzelt (1854-after 1912) was an Austrian-born violin maker who worked in Germany. Son and pupil of Johann Ferdinand Patzelt, he apprenticed at the Grimmschen shop. After initially pursuing painting, he returned to violin making, establishing his own workshop in Berlin in 1876 with his brother, before moving to Dresden in 1883 and finally Meissen. Patzelt was known for his thoughtful approach, not merely copying old masters but adapting principles to modern requirements, notably being the first German maker to use balsam fir wood for violins. His work, described as fine and slightly eccentric, received a first prize at either Boulogne or Bologna for a quartet. His instruments were branded 'F. Patzelt / Dresden /1899'.