John Beale, Post-Gazette
A violin, about 80 years old, that was restored by Phillip Injeian sits on a workbench in his shop on Penn Avenue, Downtown.
Click photo for larger image.

As he repairs, restores and creates violins in his well-appointed Downtown shop, Phillip Injeian fine-tunes his sense of humor.

"This is my tanning bed. She's just taking a nap," he joked as he removed a cello that is absorbing ultraviolet light in a large case.

"Unfortunately, I can't always depend on the sun in Pittsburgh."

The Armenian-American luthier said the UV rays found in sunlight will improve the cello, which he made for Joshua Gindele, a North Allegheny High School graduate and member of the Miro String Quartet.

"Not only does it create a beautiful golden color, but it produces a more resonant sound."

Injeian may not be able to rely on this city's paltry allotment of sunshine, but everyone from members of the Emerson Quartet to the local oboe player depend upon his craftsmanship.

This year, the Amati Foundation, a nonprofit created by Texas businessman Bill Townsend, asked Injeian and 34 other luthiers to make highly accurate copies of famous old instruments. Injeian is half way done with the "Sleeping Beauty" cello, a Montagnana model made in 1739.

The Emerson Quartet, America's premier string quartet, has asked Injeian to make two violins, a viola and a cello. And, the Smithsonian Institution would like to exhibit Injeian's collection of 20th-century violins made by a group of Pittsburgh luthiers.

If that isn't enough to keep him busy, Injeian has taken on two apprentices from the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony this summer. One, Nathan Rihn, was busily scraping away as his mentor led visitors on a tour of the shop. The other is Joseph Liu, the symphony's concertmaster.

"They're learning how a violin is created from beginning to end," Injeian said.

His Penn Avenue business, in the city's Cultural District, is part carpentry shop, part chemistry set and part museum. In addition to varieties of wood from all over the world, there is a 5-pound bag of madder root from California and sharpening stones from Arizona that are soaking in water. Even his tools are handmade. His apprentices learn how to fashion their own knives and sharpen the blades made of Swiss steel.

Maple from Bosnia is still the best in the world for making stringed instruments, Injeian said. He also uses it when restoring instruments. Making new wood look old is one of his many tricks. When he restored a violin made by a client's grandfather more than 50 years ago, Injeian said, "I made it look like an old Italian violin."

Born in New York City, he apprenticed as a teenager with an Armenian luthier in Manhattan. In his 20s, he studied in Europe, spending time in Italy, France and Germany. He said his past sometimes catches up with him.

"I had a violin come in here that was 30 years old. I made it back in France in 1974."

He first set up shop in New York, building his reputation while working on instruments for some of the world's finest musicians. In 2000, Injeian brought his shop to Pittsburgh.

He has since become fascinated with a group of luthiers who found their way to Pittsburgh in the 1800s, some from as far away as Italy, Poland and France. Injeian owns four Pittsburgh violins and displays two others. They rest like jewels in a large case in his shop's front room.

The "father" of Pittsburgh violin makers was Gabriel Marc Francois, who was born in 1873. He worked as a pharmacist for a time in Boston, then began working as a luthier. He made violins in the style of Stradivarius, J.B. Guadagnini and Guarneri. Francois attracted others, including John Note, who was born in San Giovanni, Italy, and ended up in Pittsburgh, making and repairing violins.

Some of Francois' associates struck out on their own. Benjamin Phillips, a third-generation violin maker from Warsaw, Poland, immigrated to Pittsburgh in 1902 and worked as a machinist for Westinghouse for a time. Between 1908 and 1918, he worked for Francois, then established his own shop in 1923, producing about 167 instruments.

Harmon M. Snell, a Swiss violin maker born in Moundsville, Ohio, came to Pittsburgh in 1901 and worked for Phillips.

Frederick T. Peffers was born in Meadville, Crawford County, and became a professional violinist. He apprenticed with Francois and made the first of about 50 violins in 1915.

Joseph Kaye, a self-taught luthier, was born in Reading, Berks County. He was associated with Francois but had his own shop.

Injeian came across the Pittsburgh school of violin makers when clients brought the instruments to him for repair.

"It was like a revelation to me because I had never seen any of these American instruments," he said.

What sets the Pittsburgh violins apart, Injeian said, is the high quality and skillful application of the varnish, better than on instruments made at the time in Boston and Philadelphia.

Injeian showed the collection to fellow members of the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers when they convened here last spring. Carol Lynn Ward-Bamford, a music specialist for the Library of Congress division, said she would like to exhibit the Pittsburgh collection next year at the Smithsonian.

"We have these American makers who were that good. They have not been given their due," said Injeian, who estimates the value of all six violins at about $100,000.

Phillip Injeian displays a Joseph Kaye violin made in 1920.
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First Published: August 2, 2005, 4:00 a.m.