Mathias Thir

Mathias Thir (17 June 1742, Weyerburg — 10 May 1806, Vienna) was an Austrian luthier active in Vienna circa 1770 to 1795. He originated from a notable family of violin-makers from Füssen, Germany, who worked in Vienna and Pressburg for at least three generations. Name variations: Thier, Thür, Dirr, Dürr. Mathias was either a son or nephew of Johann Georg Thir (ca.1710—1779), the family's patriarch, and possibly apprenticed at his workshop. He proliferated as an independent maker, running a successful workshop and offering a comprehensive range of instruments, including budget violins and cellos (with inferior varnishes and simplified carving). Thier's sisters married two notable luthiers, Franz Geissenhof (1753—1821) and Sebastian Dallinger (1735—1809), and Mathias ran a collaborative atelier with them for several years. His widow, Elisabeth, and son, Anton II Thir (1767—1837), took over the family business.