Christian Heinrich Siefert

History

Christian Heinrich SIEFERT (1831-1889) was originally the owner of a tailor's shop and a rather good amateur violinist. In 1861, he accidentally acquired a genuine Stradivari violin, which sparked his interest in violin making. He began attempting to make violins with the simplest tools, succeeding beyond expectation due to his particular aptitude. Competent musicians noticed his work and encouraged him to dedicate himself entirely to violin making, which he eventually did. He continuously perfected his art and soon made a name for himself. In 1875, he moved to Leipzig and, through continuous study, became one of the most skilled German masters of his time. According to John Dilworth, he established himself professionally in Leipzig in 1875 with the encouragement of the violinist Ferdinand David.

Craft

• Workmanship: He was exceptionally conscientious in his work, selecting wood as carefully as possible.
• Models: He eventually developed his own model, creating three different patterns, and made a separate drawing for each violin.
• Production: He rarely made violas and cellos.
• Labels: His violins bear his handwritten label. Those made with the assistance of others are explicitly designated as "Schülergeigen" (student violins). John Dilworth notes that those made by his assistants have printed labels qualified as 'Schülergeige'.
• Varnish: His varnish is beautiful and appears bright because he disdained staining or coloring the wood beforehand. John Dilworth describes it as good clear and vibrant varnish, highly coloured.
• Tone: The tone is noble, the response soft, and his violins are among those that promise to improve year by year.
• Restoration: Given his conscientiousness, he was also an excellent restorer of old violins.

Influence

• Training: He was self-taught (Autodidakt).
• Mentorship/Inspiration: He incessantly studied the works of Stradivari, especially the violin he owned, which he used as a model. He was encouraged by competent musicians and specifically by the violinist Ferdinand David.

Further Information

• Workshop Location: In 1884, his workshop was located at Hainstrasse 3 (am Markt) in Leipzig.

Summary

Christian Heinrich SIEFERT (1831-1889) was a self-taught German violin maker who transitioned from owning a tailor's shop to lutherie after acquiring a Stradivari violin in 1861. He moved to Leipzig in 1875, where he became known for his meticulous craftsmanship, developing his own models based on Stradivari, and producing instruments with noble tone and vibrant varnish. He was also a skilled restorer of old violins.