At the base of the mountains in northern Italy, Brescia was a hub for violin making in the 1500s. High arching, double purfling and dark tone were some of the distinct characteristics of these instruments. An outbreak of the plague ended that era of Brescian violin making, Cremona’s star was rising. This Gasparo DaSalo copy was built in Southern Austria in the early 1800s. It was played by the concertmaster of the Detroit Symphony orchestra in the early 1900s. The violin has a rich, complex, dark color that projects well through the upper positions on all four strings. The accessible price reflects the unknown maker and restoration work. The instrument is a wonderful find for a conservatory level student on a budget, or a professional player looking for a good secondary instrument.