The violin bears the facsimile label “Joseph Guarnerius fecit Cremona anno 1734 IHS” and on the

opposite side the label “Douglas C. Cox, Brattleboro, Vermont, 2010, #671” and is branded and initialed

on the inside. It is patterned after the “Diable” violin of Joseph Guarneri “del Gesu” made in 1734. It is

built of well aged New England grown wood. The back is cut on the quarter from two pieces of maple

with handsome medium width flames descending from the center joint. The ribs are of maple similar

to that of the back. The neck and scroll are of maple less flamed than that of the back and ribs. The table

is of two pieces of spruce mostly medium growth. The varnish is of a red-brown color over a golden

ground and is shaded and imitated. The fittings are of carved boxwood with ebony trim. The principal

dimensions are:

Length 351 mm

Upper Bout 168 mm

Middle Bout 114 mm

Lower Bout 205 mm

Rib Height 29-31 mm

String Length 323 mm

"Douglas is a gentleman of deep integrity, full of love for his art and craft, and meticulous in husbanding his 'children' — the instruments he makes so well. I cannot recommend Doug Cox highly enough." -- Marylou Speaker Churchill (1945-2009) 

Douglas Cox received his early training at the State Violin Making School in Mittenwald, Germany in the late 1960's, then spending ten years as chief restorer and head of the repair department for the firm of J. Bradley Taylor, Inc. in Boston, servicing the finest instruments in the New England area. Since 1981, he has devoted himself to making fine new instruments at his studio in the hills outside Brattleboro, Vermont.

To his making of new instruments, Doug combines the discipline and workmanship of his early training with years of study of fine old instruments. He continues to stretch his making abilities and understanding of what makes violins work by building close copies of unusual and noteworthy master instruments.

Since 1981 Doug has built more than 950 instruments. His instruments have received awards from the Violin Society of America and are played by artists around the world in a wide variety of musical settings.

“I absolutely love my Cox violin. It is a joy and a pleasure to play on.  It feels and sounds like I am playing on a great old Italian violin.” -- Jaime Laredo