The musician tried to take care of the instrument but used unusual cleaning compounds that likely contained silicones. As a result, this "cleaning" created successive layers of silicone (or some other component of the "cleaning" agent), to which particles of rosin from the bow, fabric fibers, etc., adhered... The photo clearly shows how the bridge seemed to have grown into the grime. This layer, resembling a coating of mastic, not only looked unsightly but also constrained the top plate.

After professional cleaning of the surface and minor revarnishing, the violin began to sound again. The musician noted the restored volume and the long-forgotten timbre of his instrument.