The William Elmore Viola – San Mateo, California, 1999 is a handcrafted American viola offering a warm, rich tone with excellent clarity, balance, and projection. Built with carefully selected tonewoods and traditional craftsmanship, it provides exceptional responsiveness and musical versatility.
William Elmore is an American luthier and graduate of the Violin Making School of America, with more than 25 years of experience in violin making, restoration, and repair. After spending over two decades at the renowned Roland Feller Violin Makers in San Francisco, he established his own workshop, where he continues to produce fine handcrafted instruments admired for their craftsmanship, tonal quality, and playability.
The William Elmore Viola – San Mateo, California, 1999 is a finely handcrafted American viola that reflects the precision, tonal refinement, and traditional craftsmanship of California violin making. Built in 1999, this instrument features carefully selected tonewoods and meticulous hand craftsmanship, producing a warm, rich, and well-balanced voice with excellent clarity and projection. Its elegant varnish beautifully enhances the wood's natural figure while allowing the instrument to resonate freely, making it equally suited to chamber music, orchestral performance, and solo repertoire.
Designed to be both responsive and comfortable to play, this viola offers a smooth, even response across all registers with the depth and warmth expected from a professional handcrafted instrument. Every detail, from the graceful arching to the refined scroll and precisely carved f-holes, reflects the care and attention that define fine American lutherie. Whether for an advancing musician or a seasoned performer, this viola offers outstanding musical character and lasting craftsmanship.
About William Elmore
William Elmore is an American violin maker based in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. A graduate of the Violin Making School of America in Salt Lake City in 1996, he has dedicated more than 25 years to making, restoring, and repairing violins, violas, and cellos. After graduating, he spent over two decades at the respected Roland Feller Violin Makers in San Francisco before establishing his own workshop, where he continues to build and restore fine string instruments.
Known for combining traditional European violin-making methods with the practical demands of modern musicians, William Elmore's instruments are appreciated for their refined workmanship, balanced tonal character, and excellent playability. His extensive experience in restoration and tonal adjustment has helped shape instruments that are both visually elegant and musically expressive, making them valued by players throughout the United States.
We have here a 15 inch Old French Viola- Repaired by Gand. Charles Eugène Gand was a French Luthier who started with his father Charles François Gand as an apprentice who is the successor of Lupot.
The Julia L. Klotz 16-inch Viola "Schneeflocke" is a handcrafted master viola from Mittenwald, Germany, made with aged Bosnian maple and European spruce, and finished in a beautiful hand-applied orange-brown spirit varnish over a golden ground. Offering a warm, rich tone with excellent clarity and projection, it is an outstanding instrument for advanced students, professional performers, and dedicated violists.
Julia L. Klotz continues the renowned Klotz family violin-making tradition in Mittenwald, a heritage spanning more than 350 years. Her handcrafted instruments combine traditional German craftsmanship, premium European tonewoods, and exceptional tonal refinement, earning appreciation from musicians worldwide.
This viola features the original handwritten label "Konrad Kohlert – Geigenbaumeister – fecit Bavariae – Forchheim-Poxdorf anno 2016" and the personal inscription "ex Passione natus," identifying it as a handcrafted German viola made in Bavaria in 2016. Built by master luthier Konrad Kohlert, who trained under Ernst Heinrich Roth and at the Mittenwald Violin Making School, the instrument reflects the highest standards of contemporary German violin making. Combining exceptional craftsmanship, a rich, balanced tone, and outstanding responsiveness, this viola is a superb choice for professional musicians and serious collectors.
We have here a 15" Paul Knorr Viola (SP Crack Repair) made in Markneukirchen in 1922. Paul Knorr a German luthier, a pupil of Max Dolling who established his workshop in Markneukirchen in 1921.
Bearing the label "William Elmore, San Mateo, California 1999," this 16-inch viola was handcrafted by American luthier William Elmore, a graduate of the Violin Making School of America who spent over two decades with Roland Feller Violin Makers in San Francisco before establishing his own workshop. Made in San Mateo, California, in 1999, this viola is appreciated for its refined craftsmanship, warm and resonant tone, balanced construction, responsive playability, and dependable performance, making it an excellent example of contemporary American viola making.
This 15.25" viola was produced by Italian luthier Giovanni Battista Gaibisso in 1950. Giovanni Battista Gaibisso is an Italian Violin, viola, cello, and occasional guitar maker who emigrated to South America and returned to Europe to work for violin-maker François Bovis in France. He established a workshop of his own in 1923 in Alassio and participated in numerous competitions in Italy throughout the twentieth century.
This viola is Kohlert's unique model, which draws inspiration from the Brescian School. The Brescian School is renowned for producing high-quality violas in the 16th and 17th centuries, crafted by famous makers such as Maggini and Gaspar Da Salo. The size of this particular viola measures 16.3 inches (41.4 cm).
Matteo Marsili (b. 1991, Viadana) is a Cremona-trained Italian luthier based in Casalmaggiore, known for crafting violins, violas, and cellos inspired by classical masters and for his contributions to both modern violin making and historical research.
• Studied under Massimo Negroni at Cremona’s International School of Violin Making
• Opened first workshop in Casalmaggiore in 2017 and founded “Bottega di Liuteria” in 2023
• Creates instruments using personal models and custom amber-colored varnish
• Regular exhibitor at major music festivals
• Researches and publishes on lesser-known Italian luthiers, including a book on Gabriele Pareschi
• Registered with the Chamber of Commerce as a violin maker since 2023
