Georg I Klotz (Giorgio, Khloz, Kloz) was born on March 31, 1687 in Mittenwald. He was the eldest son of Matthias Klotz and his first wife, Maria, born Seiz. He died on August 31, 1737 in Mittenwald.
Training, Family and Self-employment
Georg Klotz most likely learned lute and violin making around 1700 from his father. He married Anna Sprenger on July 3, 1715; this would have marked the time when he most likely became self-employed. There were periods of time in which he also had another position to fill, an official one in which he was in charge of financial matters for Mittenwald as a town.
His marriage to Anna Sprenger produced eight children, spread out over the period from 1716 to 1726 as well as again in 1731. After the death of his first wife on October 6, 1734, Georg Klotz married his second wife, Barbara Prantner (around 1683–1763) on May 30, 1735.
There are two labels that appear frequently in historical literature about violin making: Nicolo Bruno, e Giorgio Klotz nella Strada delli Maestri di Legnami in Bologna 1726 and Georg Klotz di Bologna anno 1729. Putting the existence of these labels together with the general dates of birth of his children brings up the possible consideration that Georg Klotz may have spent a longer period of time away from his home between 1726–1730, possibly, as the labels would indicate, in Bologna, but in any event, somewhere away from Mittenwald.
Instruments
The small number of his instruments in existence doesn´t allow an overall picture of Georg Klotz´s work to be made.
Other instruments and/or those attributed to him are to be found in Lütgendorff/Drescher (1990).
Labels
Georg I Klotz primarily used hand written labels that are similar to the following. These labels exhibit dates between 1723 and 1725:
Ego Georgius Kloz Mea
propria Manu Feci in
Mittenwalt ao 1725
Literature
Baader 2/1936, 143. Beare 1980. Klinner 1983. Layer 1959. Lütgendorff 6/1922. Lütgendorff/Drescher 1990. Senn 1958.