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www.fritz-reuter.com |
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www.fritz-reuter.com |
| B. Fritz Reuter (senior), a well known Master Violin Maker, established the firm which became known as Fritz Reuter & Sons. Although Fritz Reuter & Sons will soon enjoy it's 75th year of service to the international community, the family firm as established in 1922 had already embodied the legacy of an ancient art--a craft whose ideals and standards, both artistic and ethical, extend back at least to the time of the medieval guilds. |
Professional references to FRITZ REUTER are to be found in the following
dictionaries of violin makers:
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| Fritz Reuter Jr., oldest son of Fritz Reuter, Sr., was born on the 29th
of October, 1931, in the Hague, the Netherlands. His father, B. Fritz Reuter was a noted
master violin maker and dealer of violins in The Hague Netherlands. In the late 1930's, Fritz Jr. began formal study of violin playing at the Royal Conservatory of Music in The Hague under the tutelage of Joachim Roentgen. |
| In 1948, following World War II, Gunther and Fritz Reuter were found
qualified and were admitted as apprentices at the Geigenbauschule (Violin Making School)
in Mittenwald, Germany. There they apprenticed under Johann Karner, Leo Aschauer, Mathias
Klotz, and Andreas Fürst. In December of 1951, both Fritz and Günter graduated with a
Bachelor's Degree in violin making. With credentials in hand, Fritz Jr. continued working in Mittenwald until his eventual departure for the U.S.A. in 1955. Prior to his departure, however, his work included serving as a volunteer (1949-1952) for Michael Reindl, Mittenwald's foremost master violin maker of that time, and for his son, Franz Reindl. He then gained further experience through employment (1952-53) with the firm of Edmund Hollenbach where he worked as Guitar Maker under Kaspar Brandtner. During 1953-54 he worked for Anton Dietl, helping him to establish the bass-making segment of his business. Fritz also worked for the firm of Benedikt Lang where, under the guidance of Roman Sandner, making cellos and basses. In addition to all this, Fritz gained further theoretical and practical knowledge from Paul Seckendorf and Hans Rödig. |
| In 1955, Fritz Reuter Jr. was engaged by R.A.Olson, president of the
firm known as William Lewis & Son of Chicago, Illinois. At this world-renowned firm,
Fritz worked--under the direction of Carl G. Becker, Sr.--as a restorer and reparateur of
fine stringed instruments. Then, in 1956, Fritz was drafted into the U.S. Army. Upon
completion of two years' service (1956-58), he received and Honorable Discharge--and
resumed his employment with William Lewis and Son. Eventually (1961),Gunther Reuter joined
Fritz Jr. in the United States and was engaged also by William Lewis and Son. Upon leaving Lewis & Son, Fritz--together with his brother Gunther-- re-established the firm originally founded at The Hague by Fritz Reuter, Sr. Opening their shop in 1964, in honor of their late father, named the firm Fritz Reuter & Sons, Inc. In this undertaking, they received much valuable assistance from many friends of their family, especially the late Max Möller II, of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. They were located for over 30 years at 1565 West Howard Street in Chicago, During 1994, however, they relocated to 3917 West Touhy Avenue in Lincolnwood, Illinois, At their new address, they continue to practice as Chicagoland's oldest establishment of Violin Makers and Dealers. |
| Since the 1964 refounding--and in addition to making and selling violins, violas, and cellos--they've done restoration and conservation work on fine old stringed instruments and bows. As a member of many professional violin making organizations, as well as of appraisers associations, Fritz's personal specialty became the appraisal and certification of stringed instruments and bows for insurance and probate purposes. |
| As an added serviced to the public to benefit from Fritz Reuter &
Son's extensive professional experience and knowledge, Fritz Reuter, Jr. issued--as an
educational device--the only publication designed to assist anyone interested in
purchasing a stringed instrument. (The publication, copyright 1971, came out under the
title: HOW TO BUY A VIOLIN: Reuter's Consumer Report on Violins, Violas, Celli,
Basses and Bows.) .Still feeling the need to educate the general public on a more regular basis, Fritz also provides a publication called Reuter's Focus Report which provides descriptions of the rather seedy side of violin sales and its consequences to the craftsmanship of string instrument making and how it impacts the ever rising price of violins on the market. |
Violin Makers & Dealers *
International Consultants * Expert Appraisers
Fritz Reuter I 1897-1944, Fritz Reuter II 1931, Gunther
Reuter1934,
Michael F. Reuter 1961, Robert Reuter 1968
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Fritz Reuter and Sons,
History