1754 Johann Adam Martin violin natural

This violin was built in Schöneck, Germany in the year 1754, and it was built by the grandfathers father of the founder of the Martin Guitar Company!


Wow! Important guitar history!

The label is signed -Johann Martin Violinmacher in Schöneck anno 1754- and on an internal decal there is the text (in Swedish): "Repererad i Nyköping af siötullsbesökaren David Fogel 1790" which means that this violin was repaired by local Swedish violin maker (and also a customs officer who checked incoming goods to the harbour) David Fogel in 1790 in the Swedish town Nyköping. The body shape of this violin is similar to the David Fogel violin from 1791 that is now in the collection of the Swedish Museum of Performing Arts.

We have researched this violin thoroughly and at first we thought it was built by the first CF Martins father Johann Georg Martin, but this was corrected by reknowned Martin historian Dick Boak who wrote the following to us: 

”Johann Georg Martin was born in 1765, so it can’t be him. Johann Georg Martin’s father Johann Adam Martin was born in 1744. Could be him, age 21 in 1754. Johann Adam Martin’s father also named Johann Adam Martin was born in 1709. Age 45 years old in 1754. Died in 1788. So I suppose it may be Johann Adam Martin (born 1744) or his father.

Here is the info I have on Johann Adam born in 1744: Johann Adam MARTIN 

Beruf: Einwohner,Acciseinnehmer und Gerichtsbeisitzer 

Wohnort: Breitenfeld 

Geboren: 6 Juli 1744 

Gestorben: 29 November 1808 in Breitenfeld 

Bestattung: 1 Dezember 1808 Markneukirch 

Todesalter: 64 J., 4 M., 3 W. weniger 1 T.

Todesursache: war sehr gebrechlich und schadhaft Er hinterließ 4 Söhne. 

Verheiratet: 25 April 1765 in Wohlbach"

We also spoke to the historians at the Musikinstrumenten Museum Markneukirchen and they gave us this information:

"I read the Martin history on your website with interest. I question one part of the early history, though. Please take a look at this family tree chart, which I assume is accurate: http://www.sim-web.biz/MUSEUM/PDF/martin_stammbaum.pdf 

The history lists C.F. Martin as coming from a line of cabinet makers. However, Johann Adam Martin was a violin maker. His dates on the family tree match those given for Johann Adam Martin, a Markneukirchen area violin maker, in Karel Jalovec’s book “German and Austrian Violin Makers (1967) London: Hamlyn. For what it’s worth, I own one of his violins, and it’s a wonderful instrument, voiced more like a good Italian instrument of the period than the typical flute-like sounding German instruments being turned out then. I guess this talent goes even further back than the history recognizes.

Johann Adam Martin in Breitenfeld (Großvater)

Heirat am 25.04.1765 mit Eva Maria Ficker aus Wohlbach 

geboren am 06.07.1744 

geboren am ?

gestorben am 29.11.1808”