Ever wondered what reference books violin repairers/restorers use for reference?
There are so many different violins by so many different makers over the centuries so the reality is that many different sources of reference and years of experience are used to bring about the most successful repairs. One of the main reference texts that you are likely to find on the violin repairer’s shelf, however, is what is known as the Weisshaar Book.
The 41 chapter book (actually called “Violin Restoration: A Manual for Violin Makers”) was published by Hans Wiesshaar and Margaret Shipman in 1988 and it distilled Wiesshaar’s knowledge of restoration/repair/ violin making methods at the time. Some of the techniques and materials used by today’s restorers/repairers/ violin makers may be quite different from those shown in the Weisshaar Book but it’s still a useful thing to have around.
