Malcolm Collins violin #44 Upper Hutt, New Zealand, 1998

When Malcolm Collins died in April 2025, New Zealand lost one of its most prolific and passionately committed professional violin makers. This fine Guarneri model violin was made twenty seven years before his death and was followed by many more violins, violas – his first love – and cellos! An oil-based, golden red-brown varnish has been evenly applied over a lightly scraped finish, giving the violin visual complexity without any artificial antiquing. The tone has a silvery, bell-like quality, with an attractive throatiness on the quality, with an attractive throatiness on the lower strings, and a clear, projecting upper register.