"I've enjoyed using your extra thick and dark amber varnish for the past four years on my award winning violins and violas. Thanks for doing the tedious and dangerous work that results in such a fine violin varnish.

An added plus is that it is perfectly compatible with the resin varnish I cook up every 7 years or so. I'm able to achieve the desired optical effects, the desired colors by interlayering glazes of transparent lake pigments, and keep the total varnish layer under 0.06mm in thickness.

Also with the help of driers (5 drops per 2.5 ml varnish) and a UV light box, I can "bake" the varnish for 5 days in UV light to render it unimpressionable to fingerprints or case marks.

Bravo! and Thank you!"

David Ludwik Chrapkiewicz
Rapkievian fine violins
David Ludwik Crapkiewicz, Award winning violin maker
2002: Silver medal for tone Viola Violin Society of America
2000: Violin Certificate for tone Violin Society of America
1982: International competition for violin tone

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About Our Varnishes

The dark amber varnishes can be used as varnishes on violins, viols, viola de gambas, cellos, and bowed string instruments of the viol family.

The varnishes are based on the 17th-century recipes for amber varnish by the Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi and others, which can be found in the 17th-century notes of Sir Theodore Turquet de Mayerne, British Museum MS Sloane 2052.

How to Use

For information on how to use our products, see our How to Use page .

Prices and Ordering Information