The unknown luthier A.Politis

Brought two bloggers together!
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David Murray's 1951 Alexandros Politis bouzouki

http://oldbouzoukia.wordpress.com/

A.Politis violin dated 1930

Couple of days ago, after posting my latest article regarding the luthier Theodoro Karaba, David Murray a musician from Oakland California, owner of the beautiful blog http://oldbouzoukia.wordpress.com/, asked me if I had any information regarding an unknown luthier named Alexandros Politis from NY.

David owns a beautiful bouzouki instrument dated from 1951, with a pre-war style, design and dimensions very closed to Anastasios Stathopoulos bouzoukia. The label inside reads “867 Forest Ave. New York, NY. 1951″. The maker’s name was handwritten but seems to say “Alexandros Politis” followed by “Professional Violin Maker."

Through an intense research, trying to find more information regarding the unkown luthier, I came across a violin auction by Christie's auction house dated October 16th 2002 at the amount of $ 1,673.00. The name of the lutheir was A.Politi from NY, dating his instrument from 1933.

Type: Violin
Description: An American violin, inscribed internally A.POLITIS/ 1933/ NEW YORK, with case and two bows.
Maker: Politi, A.
Place of Origin: New York, United States
Circa: 1933
Authenticity Status: Christie's

I informed David regarding the information I discovered, and wasn't long before, he emailed me back with a new discovery, from a Britain’s auction house specialised exclusively in fine musical instruments.

Description: A Violin by A.Politis, New York circa. 1930
Labelled: Branded Internally: Made by A. Politis, A. Politis
Dimensions: Length of back: 14 1/16ins, 357mm
Further Information: Written Internally: New York N.Y 1930
Lot Number: 32
Est. Value: £1500 - £2000
Bidding Closes: Midnight, 6th March 2011 (GMT)
Auction Location: Brompton's, London, England UK.

If A.Politis is David's bouzouki luthier, then many more information will come up to the surface very soon, for the unknown up today luthier.
It will be also important and very interesting for someone, to investigate if A.Politis is a relative to the Italian violin makers of the last century:

EUGENIO POLITI
Born 1852. Pupil of Enrico Ceruti. Worked at Cremona and Rome. Died 1909. Splendid modelling, almost a replica of a Ceruti. This affinity has offered chances for unscrupulous dealers to remove the label, and dispose of them as genuine Cerutis

ENRICO POLITI
Born 1885. Son and pupil of Eugenio. Worked at Rome. Stradivarian modelling transparent rose (with a tinge of golden) varnish. Made (up to year 1949), 400 violins, 30 violas and 40 ’cellos.

RAUL POLITI
Born 1913. Son and pupil of Enrico. Followed the career of a violinist until 1934. Worked at Rome. Completed 150 instruments up to year 1950

David Murray's blog, is one of my favorite links. A lot of times I visited his site to admire photos of beautiful old bouzouki instruments, and the very important information he has collected throughout the years.

I was pleased that through my blog, I was able to help him, and return somehow the favor. His blog has been a great inspiration for my love to the pre-war bouzouki.