This viola was made by Carl Zach in Vienna in 1896, representing the fine craftsmanship of a late 19th-century European maker. Built during a period of flourishing instrument production in Vienna, it carries the hallmarks of Zach’s careful work and attention to detail.
Many years later, the viola came into the possession of Moshe Weinstein, the first violin maker in the Weinstein family. He acquired it directly from a member of the Palestine Orchestra who no longer wished to play it. This transfer added the viola to the growing number of instruments connected with Weinstein’s work as a craftsman, dealer, and caretaker of stringed instruments.
The Carl Zach viola endures as a link between European violin making of the 1800s and the legacy of Moshe Weinstein. Preserved with its maker’s identity and its history of ownership intact, it remains a valuable piece of both musical and family heritage.
