Johann Baptist SCHWEITZER

History

Johann Baptist Schweitzer (Born c. 1790/1798, Died c. 1865/1875) was an influential Hungarian violin and cello maker. Sources present conflicting information regarding his birth and death dates: John Dilworth in "The Brompton's Book of Violin & Bow Makers" states he was born in 1790 in Pécs and died in 1865 in Budapest, Hungary. This is supported by Henri Poidras in "Critical & Documentary Dictionary of Violin Makers Old & Modern" who also lists 1790-1865. However, Cecie Stainer in "A Dictionary of Violin Makers" claims he was born in 1798 and died in 1875. He was a pupil of F. Geissenhof (also spelled Geisenhof or Gaissenhof) in Vienna. According to Dilworth, Schweitzer was active in Pécs from 1822 and established in Budapest by the following year. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff in "Die Geigen- und Lautenmacher vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart" states that he settled in Pest (Budapest) in 1825, where he soon gained recognition as the best master of his craft, becoming particularly famous as a cello maker.

Craft

• Innovation: Johann Baptist Schweitzer was one of the first violin makers, alongside figures like Pressenda in Turin, to widely adopt the Stradivari model over the earlier Stainer model, attempting a closer emulation of the Cremonese masters (Dilworth).
• Methods: His interior work is distinctive, featuring hardwood linings spliced into the blocks with short, tapering joints (Dilworth). Cecie Stainer notes that his violins were made without arching and featured neatly finished workmanship. Lütgendorff describes his work as meticulous in all parts, excelling at copying Italian masters.
• Materials: Lütgendorff highlights that Schweitzer used very beautiful wood. However, his varnish was considered less good, despite his lifelong efforts and extensive experiments in a laboratory at his villa on Schwabenberg to reproduce the Italian varnish.

Influence

• Training and Mentorship: Schweitzer was a pupil of F. Geissenhof in Vienna. He was also a highly regarded teacher, with many important makers of the subsequent generation counted among his pupils and assistants, including Gabriel Lemböck, Anton Sitt, J. B. Dvořák, S. Nemessányi, and his eventual successor T. Zach (Dilworth, Lütgendorff).
• Schools/Tradition: He exerted significant influence on the work of all the central European and German violin-making schools in the nineteenth century (Dilworth).

Legacy

• Modern Recognition: His cellos are now as much sought after as they are imitated (Poidras). Lütgendorff further notes that his violins and cellos are highly coveted today for their good tone, leading to widespread imitation in Markneukirchen, where instruments are often produced with his label, frequently bearing the anachronistic year 1813.

Further Information

• Technical Characteristics: Schweitzer produced very fine work on all the classical Italian models, as well as using the model of his master, F. Geissenhof. He crafted magnificent cellos, some on a Serafin model (Dilworth). He was known as a clever copyist of the Amati model (Poidras, Lütgendorff) and also created instruments "ad forman Anonii Stradiuarii" [after the form of Antonio Stradivari].
• Labels: He used various labels, including "Joh. Bapt. Schweitzer / in Pesth 1845", "Joh. Bapt. Schweitzer fecit ad forman Hieronymi Amati Pestini, 1814", "Joh. Bapt. Schweitzer fecit ad forman Anonii Stradiuarii Pestini 1836", and "Joh. Bapt. Schweitzer Discipulus / F. Geissenhof fecit Pestini 1836".
• Historical Uncertainties: As noted, sources provide conflicting birth and death years for Schweitzer (c. 1790/1798 and c. 1865/1875). Additionally, Cecie Stainer's claim that his violins were made "without arching" is a specific and unusual characteristic not corroborated by other comprehensive sources, potentially indicating a misinterpretation or a highly particular feature. The prevalence of fakes bearing his label, often with inaccurate dates like 1813, also contributes to the complexity of identifying authentic pieces (Lütgendorff).
• Notable Quotes: Willibald Leo Lütgendorff writes: "Seine Violinen und Violoncelli sind heute ihres guten Tons wegen so gesucht, dass in Markneukirchen seine Arbeit nachgeahmt und mit seinem Zettel versehen (meist mit der unsinnigen Jahreszahl 1813) ausgeboten wird." [Today, his violins and cellos are so sought after for their good tone that his work is imitated in Markneukirchen and offered with his label (mostly with the nonsensical year 1813).] This quote highlights both his esteemed reputation for tone and the widespread issue of historical fakes.

Summary

Johann Baptist Schweitzer was a pivotal figure in 19th-century Hungarian violin making, recognized for his significant influence on Central European and German schools. A pupil of F. Geissenhof, he established himself in Pest (Budapest) by the mid-1820s, gaining particular fame as a cello maker. He was notable for his early adoption and emulation of Cremonese masters, especially the Stradivari and Amati models, a conscious departure from the prevailing Stainer model. While sources conflict on his exact birth (c. 1790/1798) and death (c. 1865/1875) dates, his meticulous craftsmanship, distinctive interior work (hardwood linings), and beautiful wood selection are consistently praised, though his extensive efforts to perfect his varnish were less successful. He was also a highly regarded teacher, mentoring several influential makers of the next generation. Due to the high regard for the good tone of his violins and magnificent cellos, his work is frequently imitated, often with counterfeit labels that complicate authentication.