Joachim Tielke

He was born in Königsberg (now Kaliningrad), Duchy of Prussia a fief of Kingdom of Poland, and died in Hamburg.

Hellwig lists the total number of 139 instruments still existing of Tielke's oeuvre, with lutes, angelicas, theorboes, bell citterns (Ger Hamburger Cithrinchen), guitars, pochettes, violins, viole d'amore without sympathetic strings, barytons, viole da gamba, and bows.

On the other hand, nearly thirty instruments not known to Hellwig have come up, among them the fragment of a baryton, a cello, more viols, guitars, and lutes.

Tielke's existing oeuvre is therefore one of the most comprehensive and by number close to that of Stradivari and the other great Italian makers.

The examination of his work leads to the idea that he engaged outside craftsmen and artists for the supply of carvings and marquetry, possibly even complete instruments.

A baroque guitar by Joachim Tielke in the V&A Museum, London, UK.
Bell cittern by Joachim Tielke in the V&A Museum, London, UK.