Füssen - A new treasure was acquired with the Viola d'amore from 1759 for the collection of the Museum of the City of Füssen.
The instrument of the most important violin maker from Füssen, Simpert Niggel, was owned by a musician from Florida who wanted this excellently preserved instrument to return across the Atlantic to its place of origin in the southern Eastern Allgäu.
Thanks to a generous donation from the Sparkasse Allgäu, it was now actually possible to incorporate this viola d'amore from the “royal class” of instruments into the city's violin and lute maker collection, thereby enriching it with a considerably valuable instrument.
It is possibly the only original viola made by the violin maker Niggel.
It is known that he was baptized on October 14, 1710 in Waltenhofen.
He died on July 17, 1785 in Füssen.
Another viola d'amore by him from 1744 was lost in Berlin during World War II.
The only chance
Mayor Maximilian Eichstetter (CSU), who thanked the board of directors of Sparkasse Allgäu, Manfred Hegedüs, on Monday at a press conference in the town hall of Füssen for their support in acquiring the instrument, is very happy.
After all, it is a unique opportunity to enrich the history of violin making in Füssen with a valuable exhibit.
He also thanked the team around museum director Dr.
Anton Englert for their commitment to bring the instrument to Füssen.
