The Seattle Times reports that Hermann Bischofberger — who opened his first violin shop on the Hill on 12th Ave in 1955 — died last month after 87 years spent loving and making musical instruments:

Those who frequented the shop knew Mr. Bischofberger for his uncanny ability to see a violin from across the room or on television and know instantly who had made it. Oftentimes, he had personally met the violin’s maker.

Others knew him for his love of apple strudel and chocolate.

“What’s a violin shop without a bowl of chocolate?” he used to shout in jest, his voice booming.

And sure enough, there was a bowl of chocolate at his shop last week, where members of his family gathered to talk about his life.

We wrote about Bischofberger Violins, now on East John near 14th Ave, here in August: Decade after surviving major fire, Hill’s Bischofberger Violins plays on

Hermann’s son Ken Bischofberger now runs the East John shop.