Josef Metelka (1822–1884) came from a prominent family of violin makers based in the small town of Paseky nad Jizerou, located in the Krkonoše (Giant Mountains) region. His father, Věnceslav (Vincenc) Metelka, is regarded as the founder of the Giant Mountains violin-making school, while Josef played a crucial role in preserving, refining, and passing down the family’s craft to later generations. He learned violin making from his father and later inherited the family workshop.

Violin making in the Giant Mountains region of present-day Czech Republic was distinguished by its careful selection of tonewoods. To this day, the region is rich in spruce, silver fir, birch, and sycamore maple, all of which have long been prized by luthiers. Earlier instruments from the region (dating from the 18th century and the first half of the 19th century) were strongly influenced by Jacob Stainer’s models, featuring higher arching, slender f-holes, and finely carved scrolls. During the second half of the 19th century, however, makers increasingly adopted flatter arching and more open f-holes to achieve greater sound projection, following developments seen in the Saxon and Cremonese traditions.

Unlike his father, instruments by Josef Metelka are considerably rarer, as he spent much of his career as a restorer rather than as a maker. He worked in Budapest under Samuel Schweitzer and later in Vienna under Zach before returning to Paseky nad Jizerou, where he became known primarily for his restoration work. As a result, original instruments by Josef Metelka are comparatively scarce.

This violin is a late work by Josef Metelka, in which both Stainer and Cremonese influences are clearly evident. The beautifully carved scroll, particularly its refined eye, recalls the work of Prague masters such as Johannes Ulrich Eberle and Carolus Hellmer, while the arching is flatter, broad through the center, and gently descends toward the edges. This balanced arching is characteristic of many of the finest Czech makers of the period and contributes to the instrument’s excellent projection.

The f-holes are more elongated and slightly broader than those found on Stainer models, reflecting the influence of the Cremonese tradition. In contrast, the softly rounded edges retain a distinctly Central European character reminiscent of Stainer’s work. Perhaps the instrument’s most striking feature is its varnish—a rich reddish-brown with warm amber undertones—along with its remarkably transparent finish. Unlike many later factory-made instruments, the varnish lacks an excessively thick, glossy appearance, allowing the natural beauty of the wood to remain visible. The ribs display attractive medium-width flame in the maple, regular and well-defined without being overly dramatic, precisely the type of figure commonly found on high-quality Czech master instruments.