jacob stainer was one of the most famous luthiers of his time in europe before stradivari, and the only non-italian luthier to rank at the top of that artistic craft. until orchestral music replaced chamber music as the dominant form, stainer's violins were more sought-after even than stradivari's. he was born around 1619 in absam; paternal ancestors were from south tyrol and the father worked in the salt mines. his mother barbara pomberger and her parents, joachim and anne posch, were from absam. the stainers lived in absam in "breitweg" near the blacksmith.