,,violins ,,and ,,violin ,,makers4 ,,biographical ,,dictionary ,,of ,,the ,,great ,,italian ,,artistes1 ,,their ,,followers ,,and ,,imitators1 ,,to ,,the ,,present ,,time4 ,,with ,,essays ,,on ,,important ,,subjects ,,connected ,,with ,,the ,,violin4 ,,by ,,joseph ,,pearce1 ,,jun4 ,,london3 ,,longman ,,and ,,co41 ,,paternoster ,,row4 ,,sheffield3 ,j4 ,,pearce1 ,,jun4 #ahff4 ,,contents4 ,,page4 ,preface #e ,introduction #h ,violin ,makers1 alphabetically arranged #ae ,bow ,makers #hh ,cremona #ic ,amati ,family #ic ,stradiuarius #ajg ,on the ,cremona ,varnish #aai ,guarnerius #aba ,steiner #aca ,why are certain ,violins of more ,value than others8 #adj ,on the ,production of ,good ,tone in ,violins #adh ,great ,players and their ,instruments #aeb ,general ,notes #aed ,repairs of ,instruments #afb ,addenda #afg ,,preface4 ,the ,violin is an instrument which1 though small and of trifling original cost1 has yet commanded most extraordinary prices4 ,the reason of the immense difference in the value of these instruments must therefore be a subject possessing strong claims to notice from virtuoso and amateur4 ,to distinguish by the outward characteristics and peculiarities of tone1 that which will be of pecuniary value to the possessor1 and yield the utmost delight to the hearer1 is an acquirement at once difficult to obtain and very valuable when obtained4 ,to assist the amateur and collector in this pursuit is the object of the present little work4 ,such a work has long been a desideratum4 ,of late years1 the ,history of the ,violin and its congeners has received much attention4 ,elaborate and costly treatises have been published1 some of which being written in ,foreign tongues1 are exceedingly difficult to obtain1 and not accessible to many of those who desire to peruse them1 on that account4 ,others are very imperfect and unsatisfying4 ,others again1 are1 from their high price1 beyond the reach of the greater number of amateurs4 ,the present work is intended chiefly for the use of those who desire a handy guide to the principal characteristics both of make and tone which mark the chief builders of this most famous instrument4 ,many persons anxious to possess a good instrument1 and led away by the very natural desire to possess an ,amati1 a ,guarnerius1 or a ,stradiuarius are tempted into purchasing ,violins which are presented to them under false and delusive titles1 and reject frequently good and genuine instruments of less famous makers1 but still valuable because they are good and genuine4 ,undoubted specimens of the great masters are now very rarely to be had1 unless at a very high price4 ,yet1 when we consider that even ,stradiuarius himself obtained no more than four pounds for his best instruments1 which now command as many hundreds--it is evident that1 in the absence of those great productions1 the works of his pupils and successors are well worthy the attention of amateurs4 ,there is no doubt1 indeed1 that many of these1 which from being built on his principles are of first-rate quality1 have been sold as those of the master himself4 ,it cannot1 therefore1 be questioned that a knowledge which will lead the amateur to buy an instrument for what it really is1 instead of what it professes to be1 will at once save him from the unpleasantness of paying too dearly1 and in real enjoyment yield all that can be desired4 ,the author believes he has in this work given the amateur and connoisseur information not easily attainable elsewhere1 but as he is fully conscious that there may be imperfections in it still1 he will be glad to receive any suggestions or information which may enable him to render it still more complete4 ,sheffield1 ,february1 #ahff4 ,,introduction4 ,the two most pleasing1 expressive1 and powerful single instruments of music are the human voice and the violin4 ,the one1 the gift of beneficent nature1 has from the creation exercised its touching influence on the human soul--the other1 the product of the ingenuity of man1 has only within the last three centuries attained to perfection1 but since that period what delight1 what rapture has arisen from so simple a construction1 when acted upon by the hand of genius6 ,while the melodious tones of ,grisi and ,mario have touched with sympathetic feelings the hearts and imaginations of spell bound listeners1 how have the magic tones of ,paganini and ,ernst wrapped the souls of wondering thousands in an elysium of delight and admiration6 ,what effect cannot be produced by the ,violin1 7except that of speech17 which the voice can accomplish8 ,the ,violin in the hands of genius can draw tears or create laughter4 ,whoever has heard the great masters of this extraordinary instrument1 has heard all the sweetness of tone1 the intensity of feeling1 the power of expression that the most gifted sons and daughters of song could possibly produce without the additional aid of speech4 ,the ,violin1 in fact1 in its power of expression far excels those singers1 of whom there are too many1 who while singing the notes1 fail to make their hearers understand the sense of their songs4 ,if a merry dance is produced by the agile bow1 its sympathetic tones at once excite a corresponding feeling4 ,if a plaintive air streams in delicious and heart-touching cadences from the strings1 what soul is there so dead to feeling as not to respond8 ,the perfection of the ,violin is that its master1 if alive to the subtle and mysterious influences of the imagination1 can elicit from it the most perfect and touching songs without words4 ,it is besides the only instrument1 except the voice1 which is perfect4 ,every shade of expression1 every nicety of tone can be produced on it4 ,all other instruments sink into insignificance in comparison with the ,violin1 because they cannot do this4 ,they are all more or less imperfect2 and therefore fail in those subtleties of expression of which the ,violin and the voice are such able exponents4 ,what gratitude do we owe therefore to those great masters of ,cremona1 more especially the ,amati and ,stradiuarius1 who have succeeded in bringing the ,violin to its present state of perfection4 ,music has in all ages been a source of the purest delight4 ,the greatest poet and dramatist the world ever knew says that whoever has not music in his soul is fit for treasons1 stratagems1 and spoils4 ,in the present age the cultivation of ,music forms one of the most general and the most refined sources of amusement and pleasure4 ,all ranks of people are now privileged to join in its delightful enjoyments4 ,even the cottage of the artisan is now often elevated by the elegant practice of music1 through the increased facilities for producing instruments at a cheap rate4 ,the consequence is that in the present age there is a more general study and a finer perception of what is good and beautiful1 and their elevating tendencies are doing much for the mental cultivation and refinement of all classes4 ,a very extraordinary feature of the musical world of the present day is the enormous orchestras which can be produced on special occasions4 ,a chorus of several thousand voices supported by hundreds of instruments may now be heard1 rendering the immortal compositions of the greatest masters of the divine ,art1 in the ,peoples' ,palace at ,sydenham and elsewhere4 ,these ,orchestras are chiefly selected from the ranks of the people1 of whom the artisan is the chief contributor4 ,the reduction of the cost of instruments and the adoption of what may be called the joint stock principle are tending still further to enlarge the boundaries of the practical musical world4 ,at any time and for any special purpose it is now easy to secure a band and chorus sufficient in numbers and executive power to render in an efficient and powerful manner1 the glorious productions of ,beethoven1 ,mozart1 ,handel1 and other great masters4 ,in all these transitions1 the ,violin bears a most important part4 ,it is the leading instrument in these great performances1 as it is also1 after the voice1 the most powerful medium of expression in solo4 ,it is also the peoples' instrument4 ,the labours of many eminent violin makers who have followed in the steps of the great masters have of late so immensely improved the art1 that a good instrument may now be possessed by any one4 ,and it may safely be said that with its improvement1 has arisen also the extension and wide spread practice of music generally4 ,an ear accustomed to the fine tone of a good violin will not now tolerate a bad piano-forte4 ,the ,piano-forte and the ,violin are the most general instruments1 and they have alike participated in the improvements effected1 in becoming cheaper by the advance of science4 ,every description of machinery has within the last fifty years received the attention of able men1 and the mechanical construction of the ,piano-forte is one prominent proof of the advantages which can be conferred by science on even the luxuries of life4 ,the ,violin1 also1 seemingly the most incapable of mechanical application to its manufacture1 is said to be now made by a most persevering and enthusiastic lover and follower of the great makers1 by mechanical means4 ,copies of these celebrated makers1 are now said to be manufactured by him with an uniformity1 a certainty1 and a precision impossible except by the aid of scientific improvements4 ,these instruments are therefore understood to require only the ameliorating influences of time and use to become fine in tone and satisfactory in every respect4 ,every one interested in the progress of music1 must rejoice at the rapid development of its resources and the general spread of its pleasures among the people4 ,we are a profoundly commercial nation1 and it is delightful to see that in our greater wealth and prosperity1 rational amusements1 and more especially music1 go on increasing step by step with our more business-like occupations4 ,this class of amusements must exercise a humanising and refining influence on the habits and manners of the people1 and they should be1 therefore1 patronised and encouraged by all those whose means are large and their example powerful4 ,there can be no doubt that their tendency is for good1 and that those whose leisure hours are devoted to their practice and study1 will be richly benefited by them in all those qualities which combine to make the good citizen and the estimable friend4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,note4 ,to prevent too much space being taken up in the alphabetical portion of this work1 separate chapters are given on the four renowned ,violin ,makers1 ,amati1 ,stradiuarius1 ,guarnerius and ,steiner4 ,the names and dates of each of the members of these celebrated families are however given in their proper places1 for prompt reference4 ,we have not in some cases been able to find any records beyond the names of certain makers4 ,wherever possible we have given dates1 places1 and style of work4 ,,dictionary ,,of ,,violin ,,makers4 ,a4 ,,acevo1 --- ,cremona1 ,pupil of ,guiseppe ,cappa4 ,this artiste made very good violins in the style of the ,amati4 ,,addison1 ,,william1 ,london1 #afgj4 ,,aireton1 ,,edmund1 ,london1 #agcj4 ,a good and neat ,maker4 ,,aldred1 --- ,london1 ,early ,english ,lute ,maker4 ,,aletzie1 ,,paulo1 ,monaco1 #agbj-cj4 ,famous for his ,violoncellos4 ,,albani1 ,,matthias1 born at ,botzen or ,bulsani1 in the ,tyrol1 about #afba4 ,this artist was highly esteemed formerly1 and ,otto says that it is exceedingly difficult to give so exact a description of them as readily to distinguish them from those of ,nicholas ,amati1 who was said to be his master4 ,in the present day1 opinions are very different4 ,nevertheless there are some fine instruments by this maker1 of high model1 with reddish brown varnish and bearing a great similarity to those of ,steiner1 of whom he was also said to be a pupil4 ,the ,dictionary of ,musicians speaks highly of this maker4 ,this was decidedly the best artiste of this name4 ,,albani1 ,,paolo1 ,palermo and ,cremona1 was also under ,nicholas ,amati1 about #afei4 ,,albani1 --- son of the above1 about #agab1 was also a careful maker1 and turned out some good ,instruments4 ,,amati ,,family4 ,for fuller particulars of these eminent makers1 see separate ,article4 ,,amati1 ,,andreas1 ,cremona1 born #aebj1 died #aehj4 ,,amati1 ,,nicholas1 brother of the above1 celebrated for his ,basses4 ,,amati1 ,,nicholas1 son of ,andreas4 ,,amati1 ,,antonius and ,,hieronymus4 ,sons of ,andreas1 #aeej to #afcd1 first made together and afterwards separately4 ,,amati1 ,,nicholas1 born #aeif1 died #afhd1 son of ,hieronymus4 ,this was the greatest maker of the family4 ,,amati1 ,,antonio ,,jerome1 do4 #afdj to #afgj4 ,,amati1 ,,hieronymus1 ,son of ,nicholas1 born #afdi1 said to be the last of the ,amati family4 ,a violin of his is mentioned1 dated #afgb4 ,,amelingue1 --- ,paris1 #ahth ,century4 ,,anselmo1 ,,pietro1 ,venezia1 #ahth ,century4 ,,artmann1 ,,gotha4 ,followed ,cremona pattern4 ,,assalone1 ,,gaspard1 ,rome1 #ahth ,century4 ,cremona patterns4 ,b4 ,,bachmann1 ,,louis ,,charles1 ,berlin1 born #agaf1 died #ahjj4 ,considered to be one of the best makers of ,germany4 ,otto says1 the ,instruments by this ,maker are next in point of quality to the ,cremonese4 ,without going so far1 with our present increased knowledge of the pupils of the ,cremona makers1 it may still be admitted that ,bachmann was an excellent maker and was very careful in his proportions1 so that ,amateurs have been often deceived into thinking them genuine ,cremonas4 ,they are of the flat ,stradiuarius ,model1 made of good wood1 with amber varnish1 and therefore present considerable similarity to their patterns4 ,,baganzi1 --- see ,bergonzi4 ,,bagatella1 ,,pietro1--,padua1 #agff4 ,said not to be very good4 ,,bagatella1 ,,antonio1--,padua1 #aghb4 ,author of a ,work on the construction of ,instruments1 from which ,bishop in his ,translation of ,otto1 has appended a ,theory for making a ,violin on a very simple plan4 ,he made some excellent ,violins after ,cremona patterns4 ,,baines1 --- ,london1 about #aghj4 ,,baker1 --- ,oxford about #agbj4 ,,balestrieri1 ,,thomas1 ,this excellent ,maker was a pupil of ,stradiuarius1 and made after his model4 ,the ,author has seen an ,instrument by this ,artist1 which is of the large flat pattern and has a magnificent and brilliant tone4 ,the wood of the back and ribs rather plain--the belly very fine open grain1 purfling not very neat--varnish reddish yellow4 ,pronounced by judges to be equal to a fine ,stradiuarius4 ,it is dated ,thomas ,balestrieri1 ,cremonensis1 fecit ,mantua1 #ageg4 ,this instrument is a proof that amateurs may in future look with safety to the pupils of ,stradiuarius for violins to take the place of those of the great masters1 which are yearly becoming scarcer and dearer4 ,,balestrieri1 ,,pietro1 ,cremona1 rather earlier than ,thomas4 ,,banks1 ,,benjamin1 ,salisbury4 ,born #agbg1 died #agie4 ,foster in his excellent work calls him one of ,england's best manufacturers4 ,too much cannot be said in praise of this justly celebrated ,maker4 ,the work of all the better class of instruments is excellent1 the tone good of all2 but that of the ,violoncellos in particular is full and sonorous4 ,mr4 ,gardiner in his ,music and ,friends1 says ,banks of ,salisbury's ,violoncellos are of the finest quality of tone--not so strong and fiery as ,foster's1 but in sweetness and purity excelling them4 ,they are chiefly of the ,amati pattern4--,the best ,instruments have brownish yellow ,varnish with a tinge of red1 others deep red of a blackish tinge1 ,varnish not brilliant4 ,,banks1 ,,benjamin1 ,son of the former1 ,london1 born #aged1 died #ahbj4 ,,banks1 ,,james and ,,henry1 ,salisbury1 other sons of the same4 ,james is said to have been an excellent workman in his father's style1 and dates about #ahje4 ,,barrett1 ,,john1 ,london1 about #agbe4 ,his labels state him to live at the ,harp and ,crown1 in ,picadilly4 ,he made some good instruments1 but did not purfle them4 ,the author has seen a ,violoncello by this maker which was everything that could be desired in the matter of tone4 ,the wood and workmanship1 however1 were not equal to the tone1 and this circumstance will probably partly account for the settled preference now given to the ,italian instruments over all the old ,english makers4 ,,barton1 ,,george1 ,london1 died #ahaj4 ,,bekman1 ,,sweno1 ,stockholm1 #agjf4 ,,bellosio1 --- one of the ,venetian makers1 #ahth ,century4 ,,benoist1 --- ,paris1 #ahth ,century4 ,,bente1 ,,matteo1 ,brescia1 about #aehj4 ,well known among virtuosi as a maker of merit in the style of ,gaspar di ,salo and ,magini4 ,,bergonzi1 or ,,baganzi1 ,,francisco1 ,cremona1 #afhg4 ,,bergonzi1 ,,carlo1 ,cremona1 #agab to #agej4 ,considered by authorities to be the best pupil of ,stradiuarius4 ,he made instruments of the same beautiful and brilliant tone which has rendered the productions of his master famous throughout the world4 ,constructed on similar principles1 and generally of well-chosen wood1 there is no doubt the productions of this excellent artiste will hereafter rank very high4 ,like ,stradiuarius himself1 ,carlo ,bergonzi is by some considered to have been at one time a pupil of ,nicholas ,amati4 ,every amateur would1 if it were possible1 get a ,stradiuarius1 an ,amati1 or a ,guarnerius1 but as the genuine violins of these makers are very rare and valuable1 they should look for the veritable instruments of their pupils1 which are now beginning to be highly esteemed on account of their intrinsic excellence4 ,,bergonzi1 ,,nicholas1 ,son of ,carlo1 but said to be inferior to his father4 ,,bergonzi1 ,,michael ,,angelo1 ,probably another son of ,carlo4 ,he1 also1 has the credit of being a pupil of ,stradiuarius1 though that seems rather doubtful1 because the latter died in #agcg1 at which time1 if a son of ,carlo1 he would not have been old enough4 ,,bernadel1 --- ,paris1 #ahth ,century4 ,,betts1 ,,john1 called ,old ,betts1 ,london1 and ,,betts1 ,,edward1 his nephew4 ,these two well known makers were said to be pupils of ,duke1 but often employed other artistes1 such as ,carter1 ,panormo1 ,b4 ,fendt1 and his sons1 whose work1 chiefly imitations of the ,cremona instruments1 gained them great reputation both at home and abroad4 #aghb to #ahbc4 ,,binternagle1 --- ,gotha1 #ahth ,century4 ,this maker was a ,german imitator of the ,cremona ,violins1 and is said to have been very successful4 ,,bocquay1 ,,jaques1 ,paris1 about #afbj4 ,a very good maker1 and highly esteemed in ,france4 ,,bodio1 --- ,venezia1 #ahth ,century4 ,,bolles1 --- ,an early ,english ,lute and ,viol ,maker4 ,mace1 #afge1 says one bass of ,bolles1 ,i have known valued at ,l#ajj1 equal to at least ,l#fjj of our present money4 ,,borelli1 ,,andreas1 ,parma1 #agdj4 ,,boullainger1 --- ,london4 ,a careful maker1 who first worked for others1 and now on his own account4 ,,bremeister1 ,,jan41 ,amsterdam1 #agjg4 ,,broschi1 ,,carlo1 ,parma1 #agdd4 ,,breton1 ,le1 ,paris4 ,,brown1 ,,james1 born #afgj1 died #ahcd1 and ,,brown1 ,,james1 son of do41 born #aghf1 died #ahfj4 ,both good workmen1 but without any speciality4 ,,buchstadter1 --- ,ratisbon1 #ahth ,century4 ,used the flat model4 ,otto says the wood is not good1 and therefore1 though well built1 the tone is not fine2 but ,spohr puts his violins on his list as excellent instruments4 ,he may1 therefore1 be ranked among the good ,german makers4 ,,budiani1 ,,javietta1 ,brescia1 about #aehj4 ,made after the style of ,gaspar di ,salo4 ,c4 ,,caesta1 ,,pietro ,,antonio ,,della1 ,trevisa1 #ahth ,century1 imitated ,stradiuarius4 ,,camile1 ,,camilus de1 ,mantua1 esteemed as a pupil of ,stradiuarius4 ,,cappa1 ,,giachimo or ,,giofreda or probably two ,brothers1 born at ,cremona and worked under ,amati4 ,date there about #aeij and were in ,piedmont #afdj4 ,there are some good ,violoncellos of this make4 ,,cappa1 ,,guiseppe--,saluzzo--end of #afth ,century4 ,,capper1 --- or probably ,cappa1 ,mantua4 ,a ,violin of this make was sold by auction in ,london in #ahfa1 and said to be very good4 ,,carter1 ,,john1 ,london1 #aghi1 made some excellent instruments which were sold both under his own name and under that of ,john ,betts for whom he had worked4 ,,carlo1 ,,guiseppe1 ,milan #agfi4 ,,cassino1 ,,antonio1 ,modena1 #agth ,century4 ,,castagnery1 ,,jean ,,paul1 ,paris #afci to #affb4 ,this artist is considered to be one of the best of the old ,french ,makers4 ,one authority says they have a fine silvery tone but not powerful4 ,,castagneri1 ,,andrea1 ,paris4 #ahth ,century4 ,,chanot1 --- ,mirecourt1 ,france1 a good maker1 #ahth ,century4 ,,chanot1 --- ,london4 ,,chappuis1 7or ,chappuy17 ,,augustine1 about #agaj4 ,,charles1 ,,theress1 ,london4 ,,cherotte1 --- ,mirecourt1 #ahth ,century4 ,,chevrier1 --- ,paris1 #ahth ,century4 ,,christa1 ,,joseph ,,paul1 ,munich1 #agcj4 ,,christophori1 ,,bartolomeo1 ,florence1 #ahth ,century4 ,,circapa1 ,,thomaso4 ,naples1 #agcj4 ,,clark1 --- ,london4 ,,cole1 ,,thomas1 ,london4 ,forster says no instrument has been preserved of this maker1 but that is a mistake4 ,there is in the neighborhood of ,sheffield1 a very large ,tenor with a fine deep tone and the following curious label4 ,made #afij1 by ,,thomas ,,cole of ,london1 on ,holborn ,hill1 who selleth all sorts of ,musical ,instruments4 ,,collingwood1 ,,joseph1 ,london1 #ahth ,century4 ,,corsby1 ,,george1 believed to be formerly a maker at ,northampton1 and now and for a long time a dealer in ,violins1 c41 in ,princes' ,street1 ,soho1 ,london4 ,,conway1 ,,william1 #agde4 ,,collier1 ,,samuel1 #agee4 ,,crask1 ,,george1 of various places1 has made many ,violins in imitation of the ,cremona ,makers1 some of which have been sold by unscrupulous dealers as genuine instruments1 an example of which we have seen which was purchased by a professional man1 since dead1 of a ,violinist then on a ,musical ,tour4 ,it is only right here to say that we believe ,mr4 ,crask to be entirely free from blame in this matter1 as he sells these instruments as his own productions4 ,,crowther1 ,,john1 #agee to #ahaj4 ,,cross1 ,,nathaniel1 ,london1 about #agbj4 ,he was partner at one time with ,barak ,norman and used his monogram sometimes4 ,he also stamped a ,cross in the inside of his instruments as well as used it in his labels4 ,he made some good ,violins1 which resemble those of ,steiner4 ,his mark in the inside of the back is here given4 ,n4 ,c4 ,a violin of this make which we have seen1 has the great fault of having the bass bar cut out of the solid1 instead of being glued in1 thus contravening the established principles of the art4 ,,contreras1 ,,joseph1 ,madrid1 #agdf4 ,an excellent maker1 who was particularly celebrated for his copies of ,stradiuarius4 ,d4 ,,dardelli1 ,,pietro1 ,mantua1 about #aejj4 ,made good rebecs1 violas and viols da gamba4 ,fetis mentions some of them as still existing4 ,,decombre1 ,,ambroise1 ,tournay1 #agjj to #agce1 was said to be one of the pupils of ,stradiuarius and made some good instruments of his pattern4 ,,despons1 ,,antoine1 ,paris1--one of the good ,french ,makers1 about #agbe4 ,,dickenson1 ,,edward1 #aged4 ,,dickson1 ,,john1 ,cambridge1 #aggi4 ,,diehl1 ,,nicholaus1 ,darmstadt1 #agth ,century4 ,,ditton1 ---- ,london1 about #agbj4 ,,dodd1 ,,thomas1 ,son of ,edward ,dodd of ,sheffield1 and who died in ,london in #ahaj1 at the great age of #aje years 7see ,bow ,makers74 ,thomas ,dodd's instruments have had considerable reputation1 but it is believed he was not a maker himself1 but employed ,bernard ,fendt and ,john ,lott1 through whose excellent workmanship his name1 which he put on the labels1 became well known4 ,,dodd1 ,,thomas4 ,son of the above2 he was drowned in #ahdc4 ,,dominiscelli--,ferrara1 #ahth ,century4 ,a good workman4 ,,duke1 ,,richard1 ,london1 #agfg to #aggg4 ,this ,artist was very celebrated in his day and his instruments commanded very good prices4 ,he frequently stamped his name on the back1 but as far as we have seen1 only on inferior productions4 ,very good instruments may now occasionally be met with at low prices in consequence of the great prejudice in favour of the ,italian and other foreign makers4 ,,durfel1 ---- ,altenburg1 made good double ,basses4 ,his violins are also said by one authority to be excellent in point of tone4 ,,duiffoprugcar1 ,,gaspard1 born in the ,tyrol1 established in ,bologna in #aeaj1 and went to ,paris at the invitation of ,francis #ast4 ,he afterwards removed to ,lyons4 ,this appears to be the first maker of the genuine ,violin we have on record1 and some instruments still exist to attest the excellence to which he had reached4 ,m4 ,vuillaume1 possesses a ,bass ,viol1 and other ,parisian ,collectors possess instruments by this ancient artiste4 ,e4 ,,eberle1 ,,jean ,,ulric1 ,prague1 #agdi4 ,otto says this is one of the most celebrated ,german ,makers and his instruments have been frequently taken by experienced connoisseurs for ,italian2 the difference being that they have a sharper or rather not so round and full a tone4 ,connoisseurs could not be very experienced at that time1 if they could mistake for ,cremonese1 instruments possessing this characteristic1 which is exactly what distinguishes the inferior instruments from the genuine4 ,,eberti1 ,,tommaso1 about #agcj4 ,,edlinger1 ,,thomas1 ,prague #agae4 ,,edlinger1 ,,joseph ,,joachim1 ,prague1 son of ,thomas4 ,visited ,italy1 and afterwards built some excellent instruments2 died in #agdh4 ,,ernst1 ,,francois ,,antoine1 born in ,bohemia in #agde4 ,this artiste made some excellent instruments which are said almost to reach the ,cremonas in tone4 ,he was also the ,author of a ,treatise on ,instruments4 ,the celebrated ,violinist ,spohr1 author of the ,violin ,school1 is said to have at one time used one of this maker's instruments4 ,,evans1 ,,richard ,london1 #agdb4 ,f4 ,,farinato1 ,,paul1 ,venezia1 about #agjj4 ,,fendt1 or ,,finth1 ,paris1 #agfc-hj4 ,made good instruments after the ,stradiuarius model1 some of which followed his style so carefully as to have been taken for those of that master4 ,,fendt1 ,,bernhard1 born #agge1 died #ahbe4 ,nephew of the above4 ,he worked first for ,dodd and afterwards for old ,john ,betts4 ,he was a capital workman and made many fine imitations of the ,cremonese instruments4 ,,fendt1 ,,bernard ,,simon1 ,son of the above1 born #ahjj1 died #aheb1 became partner with ,purdy in the well known firm of ,purdy and ,fendt4 ,,fendt1 ,,martin1 brother of the above1 born #ahab1 died #ahde4 ,,fendt1 ,,jacob1 born #ahae1 died #ahdi4 ,,fendt1 ,,francis4 ,,fendt1 ,,william1 ,son of ,bernard ,simon1 born #ahcc1 died #aheb4 ,all the ,fendts have the reputation of being excellent workmen4 ,,fichtold1 ,,hans1 #afab1 is said to have made good instruments4 ,,ficker1 ,,johann ,,christian1 ,cremona #agbb4 ,,ficker1 ,,johann ,,gotlieb1 ,cremona #aghh4 ,,fleury1 ,,benoist1 ,paris1 about #agbj4 ,,florentus1 ,,florinus1 ,bologna1 #afij4 ,followed the ,amati patterns1 and has a good reputation in that style4 ,,forster1 ,,william4 ,the first ,violin maker of this now celebrated name1 born #agac1 died #ahja4 ,,forster1 ,,william1 born #agci1 died #ahjh4 ,this maker was very celebrated for his ,violas and ,violoncellos4 ,he appears to have followed the ,steiner pattern in #agfb1 and the ,amati pattern in #aggb4 ,his common instruments were not purfled1 second class purfled but still much inferior to the third class1 in which1 says an authority1 everything was embodied to conduce to excellence and beautiful appearance and to the finest tone2 and again1 his instruments are second to none in merit and the best ,europe has ever known1 especially his amber coloured ,violoncellos1 which are renowned for mellowness1 volume1 and power of tone1 equalled by few1 surpassed by none4 ,we need scarcely say that this opinion is rather strongly expressed1 and may be considered partial4 ,without at all detracting from the real excellence of ,wm4 ,forster's instruments1 which is very great1 we may confidently assert that the great ,cremona ,makers have had no rivals4 ,whether in power1 purity1 and sweetness of tone--or beauty of wood and workmanship--the best instruments of ,nicholas ,amati1 ,antonius ,stradiuarius1 and ,joseph ,guarnerius have never yet been equalled4 ,wm4 ,forster's ,violoncellos have1 however1 7in ,england at any rate17 been held in high esteem both by players and amateurs1 and have realised good prices4 ,,forster1 ,,william1 the third of the name born #agfd1 died #ahbd1 known as young ,forster4 ,his instruments are not so good as those of his father1 but still excellent productions4 ,,forster1 ,,william1 the fourth of the name1 born #aghh1 died #ahbd4 ,a good workman1 but not equal to the second ,william ,forster4 ,,forster1 ,,simon ,,andrew1 son of the above1 born #ahja1 author1 in conjunction with ,william ,sandys1 ,f4,s4,a41 of a most elaborate and excellent work from which these particulars are taken1 entitled ,history of the ,violin and other ,instruments played on with the ,bow1 from the remotest times to the present4 ,he is also like the rest of the family1 a maker and bears a good reputation4 ,,forster4--,of this noted family ,dubourg in his amusing and interesting book1 ,the ,violin1 speaks in complimentary terms4 ,he says1 ,the ,forsters1 old and young1 grandfather and grandson1 have1 in their department of art1 a name that lives4 ,,fourrier1 ,,nicholas1 born at ,mirecourt4 ,settled in ,paris1 died #ahaf2 good maker1 after the ,cremona school4 ,,fritzche1 ,,samuel1 ,leipsic1 #aghg1 pupil of ,hunger1 and made similar instruments4 ,they are of the ,italian model and have amber varnish4 ,,fritz1 ,,berthold1 ,leipsic1 #ageg4 ,,frankland1 ---- ,london1 #aghe4 ,,frey1 ,,hans1 ,nuremberg1 lute maker1 #aeth ,century4 ,,furber1 ,,david1 about #agjj4 ,,furber1 ,,matthew1 son of ,david1 #agdj4 ,,furber1 ,,john1 grandson of ,david1 #agei4 ,,furber1 ,,matthew1 son of the above1 died #ahdj4 ,,furber1 ,,john1 son of ,matthew1 #ahdj4 ,g4 ,,gabrielle1 ,,giovanni1 ,,baptista1 ,florence1 #ahth ,century1 considered to be a good ,maker4 ,,gagliano1 or ,,galiano1 ,,alessandro1 ,naples1 about #agaj1 is generally reckoned as one of the pupils of ,stradiuarius1 but was more probably only one of his imitators4 ,he made some good instruments of the ,stradiuarius model1 which possess a bright and sparkling tone2 they are1 however1 generally characterised by less power of tone1 ,stradiuarius having in this particular the advantage over nearly all his imitators1 some of his personal pupils being perhaps the only exceptions4 ,,note4--,m4 ,fetis commences the line of the ,gaglianos with ,nicolo1 #agjj1 ten years earlier than ,alessandro1 whom he also calls ,gennaro1 and ranks him as a maker formed under one of the immediate pupils of ,stradiuarius4 ,,gagliano1 ,,januarius1 ,naples1 #agdj4 ,son of ,alessandro4 ,,gagliano1 ,,nicholaus1 ,naples4 ,another son of ,alessandro4 ,,gagliano1 ,,ferdinando1 ,naples1 made to #agij4 ,,gagliano1 ,,guiseppe1 ,naples1 #agij4 ,,gagliano1 ,,giovanni1 ,naples4 ,,gagliano1 ,,antonio1 ,naples4 ,,gagliano1 ,,raphael1 ,naples1 son of ,giovanni4 ,,gagliano1 ,,antonio1 ,naples1 son of ,giovanni4 ,,gagliano ,,family4 ,most of the instruments made by the ,gagliano family possess a good quality of tone1 and ,amateurs who have no necessity for that great power which ,stradiuarius and ,guarnerius conferred on their best productions1 will do well to secure any genuine ,gagliano which they may meet with1 rather than risk the chance of getting less merit1 under a more pretentious name4 ,,galerzena1 ---- ,piedmont1 #agij4 ,,gand1 ---- ,paris4 ,a first-rate maker4 ,he was son-in-law to ,lupot4 ,,garana1 ,,michael ,,angelo1 ,bologna4 ,an excellent maker1 about #agjj1 considered by ,fetis to be a pupil of one of those celebrated makers formed in the ,cremona schools4 ,,gattanani1 ---- ,piedmont1 #agij4 ,,gavinies1 ---- ,paris1 #ahth ,century4 ,,gedler1 ,,johann ,,antony1 ,fissen1 ,bavaria1 #ahth ,century4 ,,gedler1 ,,johann ,,benedict1 same place and same date4 ,,gerans1 ,,paul1 ,cremona1 about #afae4 ,,gerle1 ,,jean1 ,nuremberg1 about #aedj4 ,made ,lutes1 ,viols da ,gamba1 c4 ,,gilkes1 ,,samuel1 ,london1 #aghg to #ahbg4 ,pupil of the ,second ,william ,forster4 ,an excellent maker4 ,his work was most highly finished and his varnish of a rich quality4 ,,gilkes1 ,,william1 born #ahaa4 ,not equal as a maker to ,samuel4 ,,giordane1 ,,alberto1 ,cremona1 #agce4 ,,gobetti1 ,,francisco1 ,venezia1 about #agjj4 ,a pupil of ,stradiuarius1 and an excellent artiste4 ,,gofiller1 ,,matteo1 ,venezia1 about #agbe4 ,a good maker after ,cremona patterns4 ,,gofiller1 ,,francisco1 ,venezia4 ,brother to ,matteo1 similar1 same date4 ,,gragnarius1 ,,antonio1 early part of #ahth ,century4 ,,grancino1 ,,giovanni1 ,milan1 middle of #agth ,century4 ,,grancino1 ,,paolo1 do4 do4 ,,grancino1 ,,giovanni ,,baptista1 ,milan1 son of first named4 ,,grancino1 ,,giovanni ,,baptista1 ,milan1 early in #ahth ,century4 ,,grancino1 ,,francisco1 son of ,giovanni ,baptista4 ,this artiste made to about #agfj1 or rather later4 ,,grancino ,,family4 ,these makers produced some very good but not handsome instruments4 ,lindley is said to have had a ,violoncello by one of the ,grancinos1 the tone of which was very fine and powerful1 with light yellow varnish darkened by age2 the wood of back and sides very plain1 but the belly very fine4 ,,grobitz1 ---- ,warsaw1 about #agej4 ,made some good instruments of the ,steiner model4 ,,guersan1 ---- ,paris4 ,an excellent maker1 small model1 careful finish1 and fine tone2 about #agcj4 ,,gugemmos1 ---- ,fissen1 ,bavaria4 ,,guidantus1 ,,giovanni ,,florenus1 ,bologna1 about #agej4 ,an excellent maker4 ,,guletto1 ,,nicholas1 ,cremona1 about #agij4 ,,guadagnini1 ,,lorenzo1 ,cremona1 #afij to #agbj4 ,pupil of ,stradiuarius and highly esteemed as a maker4 ,followed the style of his celebrated teacher4 ,guadagnini is one of the makers especially recommended by ,spohr when one of the three great masters cannot be procured4 ,a good specimen of his work will always command a good price4 ,,guadagnini1 ,,lorenzo1 ,placentia and ,milan1 #agdb4 ,made instruments generally of the smaller model4 ,was a careful workman and finished his instruments well1 and used good varnish4 ,,guadagnini1 ,,baptista4 ,same places and about same dates1 and made similar instruments4 ,,guadagnini1 ,,guiseppe1 ,turin1 #agea4 ,,guadagnini1 ,,guiseppe1 ,parma1 #agic4 ,,guarnerius ,,family4 ,a more extended account of these great masters will be found in a separate chapter4 ,,guarnerius1 ,,andreas1 ,cremona1 horn #afcj1 dates to #afhj4 ,pupil of ,hieronymus ,amati4 ,,guarnerius1 ,,guiseppe1 son of ,andreas1 ,cremona1 dates from #afij to #agcj4 ,,guarnerius1 ,,pietro1 another son of ,andreas4 ,removed in the latter part of his life from ,cremona to ,mantua4 ,,guarnerius1 ,,joseph1 nephew of ,andreas4 ,known as ,joseph to distinguish him from his cousin of the same name1 but who is generally known as ,guiseppe4 ,joseph was the great maker of the family1 born #afhc1 died #agde1 at ,cremona4 ,h4 ,,harbour1 ---- ,london1 #aghe4 ,,hardie1 ,,matthew1 ,edinburgh1 about #ahbj4 ,made some good instruments which occasionally possessed great power1 but not always very neat finish4 ,,hardie1 ,,thomas4 ,son of ,matthew1 ,edinburgh1 was also a good workman--died in #ahef1 from accidentally falling down stairs4 ,,hare1 ,,joseph1 ,london1 #agbj1 is said to have been the first in ,england to introduce the flat model1 all the makers before him and for some time after1 following the elevated model of ,steiner4 ,he also introduced a varnish of greater transparency than was generally used at that time in ,england4 ,,harris1 ,,charles1 ,london1 about #ahae4 ,,harris1 ,,charles4 ,son of the above4 ,,hart1 ,,john1 of ,princes ,street1 ,leicester ,square1 ,london1 pupil of ,samuel ,gilkes1 is a maker2 and restorer of instruments1 in which latter capacity we have pleasure in stating him to be worthy of the extensive reputation he has acquired4 ,he is also a great connoisseur in old instruments1 and has the honour of having formed most of the fine collections in this country4 ,the largest price ever given for a ,violin was for one imported by him and which from its beauty1 model1 varnish and perfection of condition is known by the name of the ,king ,joseph ,guarnerius4 ,this instrument is considered quite unique and was sold for #gjj guineas4 ,the celebrated collection of ,charles ,plowden1 ,esq41 which embraces four fine instruments of ,stradiuarius and four of ,joseph ,guarnerius1 and which is acknowledged to be the finest collection in the world1 was also formed by ,mr4 ,hart4 ,mr4 ,plowden's taste being highly cultivated1 he rejects any instrument which is not of the very highest order1 and therefore it reflects great credit on ,mr4 ,hart's judgment to have succeeded in placing so many fine instruments in the collection of so critical a connoisseur4 ,we shall have occasion to mention other celebrated instruments in the ,chapters on the ,great ,masters of the ,art4 ,,hassert1 ---- ,rudolstadt1 #ahth ,century4 ,made instruments of a high model1 which though he used good wood and finished them carefully1 did not possess very good tone4 ,very few makers have succeeded in imparting superior tone to high built instruments4 ,,hassert1 ----1 ,eisenach1 #ahth ,century1 brother of the above--adopted a different system1 and followed the flatter model of the ,cremona ,school with considerable success4 ,his instruments are remarkable for beautiful wood1 and ,otto speaks very highly of them1 saying that many of them can only be distinguished from the genuine ,italians by experienced judges4 ,in the present day we think ,otto was partial to his own countrymen's work1 and that there are very few ,german instruments which can be taken for ,italian by judges4 ,,heesom1 ,,edward1 ,london1 #agej4 ,,helmer1 ,,charles1 ,prague1 #agdj4 ,this artiste was a pupil of ,eberle1 and is considered a careful workman1 but used too light a bass bar1 which1 unless a stronger one be substituted1 depreciates the character of his instruments4 ,,hildebrant1 ,,michael ,,christopher1 ,hamburg1 #agfe4 ,esteemed as a good maker4 ,,hill1 ,,william1 ,london1 #agdj4 ,made some good instruments1 but they are said to be deficient in quality in consequence of being built on a wrong principle1 the centres having too little wood4 ,,hill1 ,,joseph1 ,london1 #aggj1 brother of the above4 ,reckoned a superior maker to his brother1 and produced some very excellent ,violoncellos which obtained him a good reputation1 and caused him to be classed high among ,english makers1 but like the others1 he is now depreciated in value below his real merits4 ,,hircutt1 ---- ,english maker1 about #afjj4 ,,hoffman1 ,,martin1 ,leipsic1 is said to be chiefly known as a skilful lute maker4 ,his ,tenors are considered good1 and ,otto says his violins have an excellent quality of tone when unspoiled1 but are not esteemed on account of their ungraceful appearance4 ,,holloway1 ,j41 ,london1 #agid4 ,,horil1 ---- 7,italian7 about #agbj4 ,,huller1 ,,augustine1 ,shoeneck1 #agge4 ,,hume1 ,,richard1 ,edinburgh4 ,an early ,english lute maker2 about #aecj4 ,,hunger1 ,,christopher ,,frederick1 ,leipsic1 #aghg4 ,a good maker who followed the ,italian style1 used good wood and amber varnish4 ,this maker is classed among the superior ,german artistes1 and his instruments are said to be beautiful4 ,j4 ,,jacobs1 ---- ,amsterdam1 #ahth ,century4 ,this maker imitated the ,amatis and produced some good instruments after their ,models which also partook of their sweet tone but had little power4 ,one authority we have consulted calls this maker a pupil of ,amati1 and states that he used whalebone purfling4 ,,jaye1 ,,henry1 ,london1 #afae4 ,of this maker we have not been able to find any account unless it be to him that ,mace 7#afgf17 refers when he says1 speaking of the makers of ,viols1 ,of such there are no better in the world1 than those of ,aldred1 ,jay1 ,smith c4 ,he was certainly an excellent maker judging from an instrument we have seen which has been converted into a small ,violoncello with four strings4 ,it is handsomely finished1 with ornamental purfling and good varnish and a well carved head4 ,as a small violoncello the tone is also very good4 ,dated in ,southwarke1 #afae4 ,,jay1 ,,thomas1 ,london1 about #agjj4 ,,jay1 ,,henry1 ,london1 #agej4 ,it appears that this artiste was best known as a maker of ,kits1 which were very well made and for which he obtained the extraordinary price in those days of five pounds each4 ,when we remember that four pounds was the price that ,stradiuarius got for his best violins in his life time1 and from an anecdote told by ,mr4 ,forster1 that ,cervetto could not even get that price for some he got direct from the maker1 we see one of those extraordinary freaks of fashion for which1 to use the expression of my ,lord ,dundreary1 no fellow can account4 ,,jauch1 ---- ,dresden1 about #agfe1 is said to have made good instruments on ,cremona models1 and is generally placed among the good ,german makers4 ,,johnson1 ,,john1 ,london1 #agec4 ,,juliano1 ,,francisco1 ,rome1 #agjj4 ,k4 ,,kambl1 ,,johann1 ,,cornelius1 #afce4 ,,kennedy1 ,,alexander1 ,london1 died #aghe1 and considered to be about #ij years of age4 ,this artiste obtained considerable reputation for good and neat work4 ,he followed the ,steiner model1 and used yellow varnish4 ,it is not known that he made any other instruments than violins4 ,,kennedy1 ,,john1 ,london1 died in #ahaf1 and considered to be #hf years of age4 ,made violins and tenors of the ,steiner model4 ,,kennedy1 ,,thomas1 son of ,john1 ,london1 bears the reputation of a good and neat artiste1 and is said to have made at least #cjj violoncellos and other instruments in proportion4 ,,keklin1 ,,joan1 ,brescia1 about #adej4 ,this artiste is believed by some inquirers to be the earliest maker of the violin proper1 but ,fetis says that the only instrument of his that is known1 and which was in the possession of ,koliker of ,paris1 and dated #addi1 was not really a violin1 but a viol with changed neck and mounted with four strings4 ,it would appear1 therefore1 that the merit of the actual introduction of the real violin belongs properly to ,gaspar di ,salo4 ,,kiaposse1 ,,sawes1 ,petersburg1 #agdh4 ,,klotz1 ,,matthias1 ,tyrolese1 about #afge1 considered by ,fetis to have been a pupil of ,steiner1 and the first violin maker of this well known name4 ,he made some instruments1 which established his reputation as a careful artiste4 ,,klotz1 ,,egitia4 ,this maker1 who appears to have been a son of ,matthias1 is often considered to be the best maker of this ,family4 ,he is commonly called the pupil of ,steiner1 but that must be doubtful4 ,more probably he followed the ,steiner traditions as exemplified by his father4 ,he used amber varnish1 good wood1 and his instruments are well made and have his own name upon them4 ,,klotz1 ,,george1 brother of ,egitia4 ,,klotz1 ,,sebastian1 another brother4 ,we believe this artiste to be the best maker of the ,klotz family4 ,he built large sized violins1 which possess a fine tone and have excellent varnish4 ,,klotz1 ,,michael1--#agga4 ,,klotz1 ,,joseph1 son of ,egitia1 ,mittenwald an der ,iser1 #aggd4 ,otto says this artiste built after his father's system--but was better acquainted with the qualities of wood1 and his instruments are therefore superior in tone1 but are badly varnished in their original state4 ,,the ,,klotz ,,family4 ,spohr enumerates ,klotz among the makers whose instruments are worthy of attention1 but does not indicate which of them in particular4 ,we have before expressed our opinion that ,sebastian ranks highest in merit1 which is corroborated by the most experienced connoisseur of the present day4 ,some violins of this name have achieved a high reputation4 ,parkes1 in his ,musical ,memoirs1 mentions a ,klotz ,violin belonging to ,mr4 ,hay1 the ,leader of the ,king's ,band1 for which a ,noble ,lord offered ,l#cjj and an annuity of ,l#ajj4 ,this seems a most extraordinary offer1 for any instrument1 unless it were a very fine ,stradiuarius or ,guarnerius4 ,,kohl1 ,,jean1 ,munich1 ,luthier to the ,court1 about #aegj4 ,fetis states that from some old accounts he finds he was paid two florins for a lute1 a strange discrepancy in value from the statement of ,mace a century later4--7,see ,bolles47 ,,kolditz1 ,,matthias ,,johann1 ,munich1 #agbb4 ,,kolditz1 ,,jaques1 ,rumbourg1 in ,bohemia1 #agij2 said to be very good4 ,,koliker1 ---- ,paris1 a noted maker and collector1 about #agej4 ,,knitting1 ,,philip1 ,mittenwald1 #agfj4 ,,knitl1 ,,joseph1 ,mittenwald1 #agij4 ,,kriner1 ,,joseph1 ,mittenwald1 #aghe4 ,l4 ,,lacasso1 ,,antonio ,,maria1 ,milan1 probably the same as ,lausa4 ,,lagetto1 ,paris1 about #afej4 ,followed the ,amati patterns4 ,,lambert1 ,,johann ,,henry1 ,berlin1 #agfj4 ,,lambert1 ---- ,nancy1 #agfj4 ,a prolific but not very careful maker1 which gained him the name of the ,lute ,carpenter4 ,,landolphi1 ,,carlo1 ,florence1 #agej4 ,an excellent maker1 who followed the ,cremona patterns with considerable success4 ,,landolphi1 ,,ferdinand1 ,milan1 about same date4 ,there appears to be some doubt whether there was more than one ,landolphi1 his name being ,carlo ,ferdinand1 but being mentioned as of both ,florence and ,milan1 and the ,christian names given separately1 there may have been two4 ,fetis only mentions ,carlo1 and locates him at ,milan4 ,,lausa1 ,,antonio ,,maria1 #afge4 ,a capital imitator of ,magini and ,gaspar di ,salo's instruments1 but is said not to have succeeded in rivalling them in tone4 ,,lautten1 ,l4 ,w4 ,no particulars of this maker2 but we find a violin by him in a ,catalogue1 described as fine and handsome4 ,,leclerc1 ---- ,paris1 #ahth ,century4 ,,lentz1 ,,johann ,,nicholaus1 ,london1 about #ahjj4 ,considered a good workman4 ,,lewis1 ,,edward4 ,london1 about #agjj4 ,an excellent maker1 used good wood1 fine varnish1 chiefly of a yellow colour1 and was notable for his excellent finish4 ,,linelli1 or ,,linarolla1 ---- ,venezia1 about #aebj4 ,a maker of rebecs1 viols1 and viols da gamba4 ,,lott1 ,,john ,,frederick1 ,london1 born #agge1 died #ahec4 ,an excellent workman1 who made many instruments for ,thomas ,dodd4 ,he is also very generally known as a first-rate double bass maker4 ,,lott1 ,,george ,,frederick1 son of the above1 was also an excellent workman1 and is said to have been chiefly employed by dealers4 ,,lotz1 ,,theodore1 ,prestburg1 about #agce1 has a good reputation as a maker of violins4 ,,lupot1 ,,francois1 ,stuttgard1 about #aggj4 ,,lupot1 ,,nicholas1 son of ,francois1 born at ,stuttgard1 #ageh2 went to ,orleans1 #aghf1 and ,paris1 #agid2 died #ahbd4 ,this artiste deserves the title of the ,king of the ,french makers4 ,he followed the model of ,stradiuarius1 used excellent wood and good varnish1 much in the style of that master4 ,his violins are very fine in tone and resemble the ,italian more than any other maker's4 ,tolbecque1 the violinist has two very fine specimens4 ,his instruments have been frequently selected by the ,french ,conservatoire as prizes for their pupils4 ,they now fetch high prices4 ,dubourg calls him a studious artist1 whose instruments are in request when a good ,cremona is unattainable4 ,he also says1 sixty guineas have been refused for one of his best violins4 ,spohr in his ,violin ,school1 also recommends his instruments4 ,this artiste published a work on the construction of violins1 called ,la ,chelonomie1 on le parfait ,luthier4 ,m4 ,,maggini1 ,,giovanni ,,paolo1 ,brescia1 #aeij to #afdj4 ,this celebrated artiste was a pupil of ,gaspar di ,salo4 ,his instruments are highly esteemed1 and are both rare and valuable4 ,they are generally of a large pattern1 with elevated model1 reaching almost to the edges2 narrow ribs1 double purfling1 frequently ending on the top and bottom of the back with an ornament in the shape of a leaf--and fine yellowish brown or golden coloured varnish1 of good quality4 ,some few are said to have deep brown varnish4 ,they possess a tone of a peculiar character--deep1 solemn1 and somewhat plaintive4 ,dubourg describes it as less soft than that of a ,stradiuarius1 and less potent than a ,guarnerius1 approaching that of a viol1 and has in it a touch of melancholy4 ,from their size these instruments had not been in great favour with violinists until the celebrated ,de,beriot introduced one1 which from its splendid tone brought them at once into esteem1 and for which he has been offered almost fabulous sums4 ,,maggini1 ,,pietro ,,santo1 ,brescia1 son of ,giovanni ,paolo1 #afcj to #afhj4 ,followed the same style as his father1 but was more particularly famous for his double basses1 which the ,italians consider to be the best ever made1 after those of ,gaspar di ,salo4 ,,maier1 ,,andrea ,,ferdinand1 ,salzburg1 #agdf4 ,little is known of this maker except that he made the small instrument on which the immortal ,mozart first learned to play the violin1 which event1 could he have foreseen1 would no doubt have compensated him for the want of more general fame4 ,,maldonner1 ---- ,bavaria1 about #agfj4 ,,maller1 ,,laux1 ,venice4 ,this artiste was an early and highly esteemed maker of lutes4 ,mace in his curious and very interesting book1 ,music's ,monument1 mentions him as one of the best authors1 i4e4 makers4 ,he also says he has seen two of his lutes 7'pittiful1 battered1 cracked ,things1'7 valued at ,l#ajj apiece4 ,mace's book was published in #afgf4 ,think of ,l#ajj for a lute two hundred years ago1 when the value of money was at least six times less than it is now6 ,this would make the comparative value of a battered old lute about ,l#fjj1 a sum 7with the exception of the ,king ,joseph ,guarnerius1 mentioned elsewhere7 exceeding the highest price we have heard of in modern times4 ,even the most splendid and perfect violins of ,stradiuarius have never realised as much as this pittiful battered lute6 ,in the face of this fact 7as we suppose it is7 we cannot be surprised that enthusiastic amateurs should in the present day give such large prices for the splendid productions of the great ,cremona ,makers4 ,,mariani1 ,,antonio1 ,pesaro1 #aegj to #afbj4 ,an imitator of ,gaspar di ,salo4 ,,maratti1 ---- ,verona1 #afij4 ,made good toned violins1 but the workmanship has little character4 ,,marquis ,,de ,,lair1 ---- ,a ,french maker about #ahjj4 ,,marshall1 ,,john1 ,london1 #agfj4 ,,martin1 ---- ,london1 #agij4 ,,maucotel1 ,,charles1 ,london4 ,an excellent workman1 who has produced some beautiful instruments4 ,,mausiell1 ,,leonard1 ,nuremburg1 #agbe4 ,a capital imitator of ,steiner1 whose style he followed so closely as to render it 7as it is stated7 difficult to distinguish the one from the other4 ,this is one of the makers praised by ,spohr in his ,violin ,school1 as worthy attention when a good ,cremona cannot be got4 ,,mayrhof1 ,,andrea ,,ferdinand1 ,salzburg1 #agdj4 ,,medard1 ,,henry1 ,paris and ,nancy4 ,a ,french maker1 who is generally considered to have been a pupil of ,nicholas ,amati1 and was esteemed nearly equal to his master2 but ,fetis includes him in his list of the personal pupils of ,antonius ,stradiuarius4 ,,merlin1 ,,joseph1 ,london1 about #aghj4 ,a very ingenious person1 who obtained the honour of being mentioned in ,madame ,d',arblay's ,diary and ,letters4 ,his violins were after the ,steiner pattern1 and well made1 but did not approach the ,steiner tone4 ,,meusidler1 ,,jean1 ,nuremberg1 about #aedj4 ,a maker of viols1 viols da gamba1 c4 ,,mezzadie1 ,,alexander1 ,ferrara1 about #agjj4 ,a good maker who followed the ,amati style1 and is reckoned by ,fetis as one of that school4 ,,mier1 ---- ,london1 #aghf4 ,,milani1 ,,francisco1 ,milan1 is supposed to be a pupil of ,guadagnini and followed his style1--about #agfj4 ,,miller1 ---- ,london1 about #agej4 ,,mohr1 ,,philip1 ,hamburg1 #afej4 ,,montade1 ,,gregorio1 ,cremona1 #agce4 ,considered to be a pupil of ,stradiuarius1 but more probably an imitator4 ,,montagnana1 ,,dominico1 ,venezia1 #agbe4 ,this excellent artiste made instruments generally of a large size1 and used wood of a large and beautiful figure4 ,the varnish exceedingly brilliant and of a rich yellow or yellow red colour1 and the tone everything that can be desired4 ,mr4 ,perkins had a violoncello of this make1 which was originally sold as a ,joseph ,guarnerius1 and was said in the catalogue to be uncommonly fine and handsome4 ,this is another of those careful artistes1 whose productions are now in high esteem when one of the three great masters cannot be obtained1 and which will very probably hereafter rank with them and become very famous4 ,,morrison1 ,,john1 ,london1 #aghj to #ahai4 ,,morella1 ,,morglato1 ,mantua1 about #aeej4 ,famous for rebecs1 viols1 and viols da gamba4 ,n4 ,,namy1 ---- ,paris1 about #ahjj4 ,,naylor1 ,,isaac1 ,leeds1 #aghh4 ,,newton1 ,,isaac1 #aghj4 ,,nicholas1 ---- ,geneva1 #agij4 ,,niggel1 ,,sympertus1 ,paris1 about #afej4 ,,norman1 ,,barak1 ,london1 #afij to #agdj4 ,he generally used a monogram formed of the letters ,,nb4 interlaced4 ,this artiste has long been a favourite1 and he certainly made some good instruments1 which in the present day are depreciated below their real worth1 as is the case also with other ,english makers1 whose productions have had to give way before the prevailing preference for ,italian instruments4 ,he was partner at one time with ,nathaniel ,cross1 and the instruments then made bear their joint names on the labels4 ,,norris ,,and ,,barnes1 pupils of ,thomas ,smith1 #aghe to #ahah4 ,,novello1 ,,valentino1 ,venezia1 about the middle of #ahth ,century4 ,,novello1 ,,marco ,,antonio1 ,venezia1 same date4 ,both these makers are in good esteem4 ,o4 ,,obue1 ,,bartolomeo1 ,verona4 ,,odoardi1 ,,guiseppe1 early #ahth ,century4 ,,ott1 ,,jean1 ,nuremberg4 ,lute maker1 #aeth ,century4 ,,otto1 ,,jacob ,,augustus1 born at ,gotha1 #agfb1 died #ahcj4 ,author of the celebrated ,book on the ,construction of the ,violin4 ,he made some good instruments which1 in his book he says he proved by a machine which played them in thirds1 fourths1 and fifths for a continued period1 thus mellowing and perfecting the tone4 ,we do not believe in this doctrine4 ,from all past experience1 there can be no doubt that whatever pains or trouble a maker may take to bring his instruments1 while new1 to bear the character of old1 his labour is quite useless4 ,there is no instance of an instrument becoming famous for its fine tone till it had attained a good old age4 ,some modern makers use chemical means to mature their violins2 but this process is utterly destructive to them1 as they become quite rotten through the action of the acid after a lapse of years4 ,time alone can ripen and mellow all musical instruments made of wood1 the violin and the organ especially4 ,p4 ,,panormo1 ,,vincenzio1 born near ,palermo1 #agcd4 ,he appears to have left his native place1 and after a temporary sojourn in several towns came to ,england about #aggb1 and died in #ahac4 ,he was an excellent artiste4 ,his instruments are carefully constructed on ,cremona models1 and possess a fine tone4 ,he made a few violoncellos which are highly prized1 their tone being extremely rich and powerful4 ,they are of the ,stradiuarius pattern1 mostly of handsome maple for the back and ribs4 ,all his instruments are of a good ,italian quality of tone1 and are among those which are rising in value as the great masters become rarer and dearer4 ,,panormo1 ,,joseph1 son of ,vincenzio1 also a good workman4 ,,panormo1 ,,george ,,lewis1 another son of ,vincenzio1 a celebrated bow maker4 ,,panormo1 ,edward4 ,,panormo1 ,,george1 probably grandson of ,vincenzio4 ,,pamphilon1 ,,edward1 ,london1 #afhe4 ,a very clever artiste4 ,made violins of rather small model1 somewhat high built1 rich yellow varnish1 and sometimes double purfled4 ,the ,editor has known one of his instruments1 which was in the hands of a rich amateur1 in whose house he has heard it played and very much approved4 ,,pansani1 ,,antonio1 ,rome1 #aghe4 ,,parker1 ,,daniel1 ,london1 #agad1 is considered one of the good old ,english makers4 ,his instruments have a clear and powerful tone4 ,a first-rate authority calls him an excellent workman2 another says though he was otherwise good he used a bad brick red varnish4 ,,pasta1 ,,gaetano1 ,brescia1 early in #ahth ,century4 ,,pasta1 ,,dominico1 ,brescia1 same date4 ,said to have followed the ,amati patterns1 and deserted the ,brescian standard of ,gaspar di ,salo and ,maggini4 ,,pearce1 ,,james and ,,thomas1 ,london1 #aghj4 ,,pemberton1 ,j41 ,london1 #aehj4 ,an ,english maker of considerable talent4 ,is supposed to have been the maker of the instrument presented by ,queen ,elizabeth to the ,earl of ,leicester4 ,,pfretzschner1 ,,gottlob1 ,cremona1 #agdi4 ,,pfretzschner1 ,,carl ,,frederick1 ,cremona4 ,,pichol1 ---- ,paris4 ,,pique1 ---- ,paris4 ,an excellent maker1 and the master of ,lupot4 ,spohr recommends ,pique's instruments1 and ,dubourg says they were given as prizes by the ,french ,conservatoire in the beginning of the present ,century4 ,,pierray1 or ,,pierret1 ,,claude1 ,paris4 ,a charming workman4 ,his violins have been frequently mistaken for ,italian by inexperienced judges4 ,they are of a deep red colour and finely finished1 with an excellent quality of tone4 ,,piete1 ,,noel1 ,paris1 about #aghe1 pupil of ,saunier4 ,an artiste well spoken of4 ,,plack1 ,,francis1 ,schoenback1 #agch4 ,considered a good maker4 ,,pollusha1 ,,antonio1 ,rome1 #agea4 ,,pons1 ---- ,grenoble1 ,france1 #aghg4 ,made large pattern violins with high model1 which have no great value4 ,,possen1 ,,lauxmin1 ,bavaria1 about #aedj4 ,made rebecs1 viols1 and viols da gamba4 ,,powell1 ,,royal and ,,thomas1 ,london1 #aghe4 ,,preston1 ,,john1 ,york1 #aghi4 ,r4 ,,racceris1 ---- ,mantua1 #afgj1 believed to have been a partner with one of the ,gaglianos1 and made similar instruments4 ,,raf1 ---- ,bavaria4 ,,rambeaux1 ---- ,paris1 a pupil of ,gand1 and an excellent workman4 ,,raphael1 ,,nella1 ,brescia1 #ahth ,century4 ,this artiste was of the school of ,maggini1 and his instruments are said to have the scrolls sculptured1 and to have inscriptions on the sides4 ,,rauch1 ,,jaques1 ,mannheim1 #agcj to #agdj4 ,considered to be a very good maker4 ,,rauch1 ,,sebastian1 #agdb to #agfc4 ,,rauch1 ---- ,breslau4 ,,rauch1 ---- ,wurtzburg4 ,otto praises the instruments of the two brothers of ,breslau and ,wurtzburg4 ,he says they are excellent violins but have a shape and model peculiar to themselves and entirely different to the ,italian or ,steiners1 but possess when uninjured a full1 round and powerful tone4 ,if ,otto had told us what instruments were like instead of what they were not like1 his book would have been more valuable4 ,,raut1 ,,jean1 ,bretagne4 ,he was at ,rennes till #agij4 ,made good instruments after the ,guarnerius school4 ,,rayman1 ,,jacob1 ,london1 #afda4 ,the instruments of this maker were very highly valued formerly4 ,he is considered one of our best old ,english artistes4 ,,reichel1 ,,johann ,,gottfried1 ,absom4 ,an imitator of ,steiner4 ,,reichel1 ,,johann ,,conrad1 ,neukirch1 #aggi4 ,,reiss1 ---- ,bamburg4 ,a capital imitator of ,steiner1 and made excellent instruments4 ,,remy1 ---- ,paris4 ,,renisto1 ---- ,cremona1 #agdj1 pupil of ,carlo ,bergonzi4 ,his instruments are very similar to those of his master1 but rather higher modelled1 and the workmanship somewhat rougher4 ,,retantino1 ---- ,no particulars of this maker4 ,,rimbouts1 ,,peter1 ,amsterdam4 ,,rook1 ,,joseph1 ,london1 #aggg to #aheb4 ,a good workman1 who imitated ,forster4 ,,ross1 ,,john1 #aefb4 ,an early maker of lutes4 ,,roth1 ,,christian1 ,augsburg1 #afge4 ,,rovelin1 ---- #ahth ,century4 ,,rudger1 ---- ,cremona--not one of the ,ruggeri ,family4 ,made some good instruments of the high build1 and deep sides1 and used fine varnish4 ,,ruggeri1 ,,francisco1 ,cremona1 #afdj to #afhd4 ,this celebrated maker is considered to have been a pupil of ,antonius ,amati1 and made many excellent instruments which bear a high reputation4 ,they rank next to the ,amati4 ,their quality is similar1 and the style of work is easily seen to belong to the same class4 ,there are a few violins by this maker of the same pattern as the ,grand ,amatis1 which are said to surpass the latter1 having more wood in them1 which was detrimental when they were made1 but which age has mellowed1 and they now possess a strong and free vibration4 ,many of the ,ruggeris have varnish little inferior to that of ,stradiuarius and ,guarnerius4 ,this artiste ranks highest in the family in the estimation of the connoisseur4 ,his work is extremely clean4 ,the next is ,giovanni ,baptista1 rather higher built and sound holes rather broader4 ,the scrolls are larger than those of ,amati but of the same type1 ,there are many splendid violoncellos of these makers and a few tenors4 ,some of the former are very large4 ,francisco ,ruggeri is mentioned by ,spohr in his list of instruments to be sought for in the absence of the three great makers1 ,nicholas ,amati1 ,antonio ,stradiuarius and ,joseph ,guarnerius4 ,,ruggeri1 ,,guido1 ,cremona1 #afgi4 ,,ruggeri1 ,,giovanni ,,baptista1 son of ,francisco4 ,brescia1 #afij4 ,mentioned above4 ,,ruggeri1 ,,pietro ,,giacomo4 ,brescia #agjj to #agbj4 ,the celebrated violoncellist ,piatti plays on an instrument by this maker1 and the tone is uncommonly fine and sonorous as all who have heard him know4 ,,ruggeri1 ,,vincenzio1 ,cremona1 #agjj to #agcj4 ,,ruppert1 ,,francis1 ,erfruth1 made some excellent instruments of a very flat model1 but generally omitted the linings and corner blocks as well us the purfling4 ,they are nevertheless esteemed in ,germany4 ,they have a dark brown amber varnish4 ,s4 ,,saint1 ,,paul4 ,paris1 about #afej4 ,an excellent ,french maker4 ,,salo1 ,,gaspar ,,di1 ,brescia1 dates from #aefj to #afaj4 ,this celebrated artiste was the contemporary of the ancient ,amatis1 and is thought by some connoisseurs to have been the master of ,andrew4 ,however that may be1 as there can be no certainty of the fact1 the varnish on which the great ,cremonese makers established that notable reputation which distinguishes them to the present day1 bears a strong analogy to that of ,gaspar di ,salo1 however they may have derived it4 ,in this respect1 also1 ,gaspar excels ,maggini1 his pupil and follower1 who was evidently not initiated into the secret of making that excellent varnish which characterises his master4 ,the pattern of the instruments which the two early and famous chiefs of the ,cremonese and ,brescian ,schools built1 is however totally different4 ,those of ,gaspar are large1 massive1 double purfled1 and with large sound holes4 ,andrew is noted for a small pattern1 and if he studied in the ,brescian workshop1 he discarded the style he found there 7varnish excepted7 and aimed at altogether a different object in his own productions4 ,those of ,gaspar di ,salo are constructed with capacity and strength to produce a considerable volume of tone4 ,the ,cremonese ,artiste on the other hand1 made instruments which1 both in their proportions and adjustment1 were especially adapted for the production of a sweet but not powerful tone4 ,gaspar's instruments seem to foreshadow in their tone and power1 those of ,stradiuarius and ,joseph ,guarnerius1 while the ,amatis seem generally to have been contented with producing a tone of surpassing sweetness4 ,gaspar also succeeded in giving to his productions that fine tone which seems to have been especially aimed at by the early makers1 but as he also from the size and strength of his instruments1 produced more tone1 he may be considered far the superior of ,andrew1 the first of the ,amatis4 ,it is on this account that in the present day1 ,gaspar di ,salo is esteemed as the greatest maker of his time1 and connoisseurs value his instruments accordingly4 ,there are not many violins by this great master1 but of tenors and double basses more4 ,these are very fine and rich in tone4 ,he was not however famous for giving so very high a finish to his works as was afterwards attained at ,cremona4 ,his violins are described as rather long1 and with a gentle elevation from the sides to the centre4 ,the sound holes straight and large1 well cut and parallel1 and double purfling4 ,the varnish is generally of a rich brown4 ,these are the chief external characteristics1 but they have always possessed that which passeth show1 and commanded the esteem of the dilettanti in that rich quality of tone which is the first essential in a perfect instrument4 ,signor ,dragonetti1 the greatest double bass player of our day1 used one of ,gaspar's instruments1 which was presented to him on account of their admiration of his wonderful talent1 by the order of the ,convent of ,st4 ,mark at ,venice4 ,shortly before his death the ,duke of ,leinster offered him ,l#gjj for it1 a princely sum1 but it was refused1 as ,dragonetti did not feel justified in parting with it1 and he ordered in his will that it should be returned to the convent at ,venice1 which was accordingly done4 ,ole ,bull has a very celebrated violin of ,gaspar's make4 ,in the first place1 it was sculptured with ,caryatides1 by the great ,florentine artist1 ,benvenuto ,cellini1 at the special command of another eminent person1 ,cardinal ,aldobrandini1 who presented it to the museum of ,inspruck in the ,tyrol4 ,in #ahji that city was assaulted by the ,french1 the museum was plundered1 and this violin carried to ,vienna1 where it became the property of another notable person1 the ,councillor ,rehazek1 who was famous for his collection of ancient musical instruments4 ,he left it by will to another still more celebrated person1 ,ole ,bull1 the distinguished ,norwegian violinist1 by whom it was exhibited in ,london in #ahfb1 and with whom it still remains4 ,to our description of ,gaspar's instruments we should add that his tenors and double basses are of a rather broader form than his violins4 ,,salle1 ---- ,paris1 #ahjj4 ,this artiste was an excellent workman1 and famous also as a judge of old instruments4 ,,sanoni1 ,,giovanni ,,baptista1 ,verona4 ,,santi1 ,,giovanni1 ,naples1 #agcj4 ,,sanctus ,,seraphino1 ,venezia1 about #agcj4 ,an excellent workman1 whose instruments possess almost the beautiful finish of ,stradiuarius4 ,he used handsome wood of small figure1 and his varnish is often beautiful in the extreme4 ,the model however approaches that of the ,steiner school1 and the tone is therefore generally wanting in fullness and roundness4 ,he made also a few violoncellos with similar characteristics4 ,,sapino1 ---- ,cremona4 ,pupil of ,guiseppe ,cappa1 made instruments after the style of the ,amati4 ,,sanzo ,,santino1 ---- ,milan4 ,,saunier1 ---- born in ,lorraine #agdj4 ,an excellent artiste whose instruments are reckoned among the best of the ,french school4 ,,scheinlein1 ,,matthias ,,frederick1 ,langenfeld1 born #agaj1 died #agga4 ,,scheinlein1 ,,jean ,,michael1 ,langenfeld1 born #agea4 ,made instruments which are said to be good but not strongly built4 ,,schmidt1 ---- ,cassel1 mentioned by ,otto as living in #ahag1 and praised by him as an excellent maker4 ,his instruments are of the flat model of ,stradiuarius but have the edges larger and the purfling further from the sides4 ,,schonger1 ,,francis1 ,erfurth1 made high modelled instruments1 but of poor tone4 ,,schonger1 ,,george1 ,erfurth1 son of the above1 modelled his instruments in the ,italian style and produced some very superior examples4 ,,schorn1 ,,jacob1 ,salzbourg4 ,,schorn1 ,,johann1 ,inspruck1 #afhh4 ,,schott1 ,,martin1 ,prague4 ,,shaw1 ---- ,london1 #afef4 ,,simpson1 ,,john1 ,london1 #agij4 ,,simpson1 ,j4 and ,j41 son of the above4 ,,simon1 ---- ,salzbourg1 #agbb4 ,,simon1 ---- ,paris4 ,,smith1 ,,henry1 ,london1 #afbi4 ,this may be a celebrated maker of viols1 c41 mentioned by ,mace1 #afgf1 as one of the best then known4 ,,smith1 ,,thomas1 ,london1 #agef to #agii4 ,this well known maker was a pupil of ,peter ,wamsley4 ,his violoncellos are of the ,steiner model1 and some of them possess considerable power1 and were formerly highly esteemed1 but they are now considered to be deficient in quality and wanting in the rich fine tone of the ,italian artistes4 ,notwithstanding1 they are still favourites in the country2 the editor knows two of his violoncellos which have been respectively sold for ,l#cj and ,l#dj within a few years4 ,,smith1 ,,william1 ,london1 #agga4 ,,solomon1 ---- pupil of ,bocquay1 a good ,french artiste4 ,,speiler1 ---- #ahth ,century4 ,,stadelmans1 ,,daniel1 #agdd1 ,vienna4 ,,stadelmans1 ,,johann ,,joseph1 ,vienna1 #aghd4 ,fame speaks very highly of this maker1 who closely imitated ,jacob ,steiner and ranks next to him among the ,german makers4 ,,steiner1 ,,jacob1 of ,absom in the ,tyrol1 born about #afbj1 date of death not known1 but at about the age of seventy retired to a ,convent4 ,see separate chapter on this celebrated artiste4 ,,stoss1 ,,francis1 ,bavaria4 ,,storioni1 ,,lorenzo1 ,cremona1 living in #aghb1 said to be the last of the great ,cremona makers4 ,forster says his instruments resemble those of ,joseph ,guarnerius1 and that ,vieuxtemps' solo violin in #ahfa1 was by this master1 and was very much admired4 ,his violoncellos are very powerful4 ,the author knows a violin which an authority says is by ,storioni1 but which the owner considered to be by ,antonius and ,hieronymus ,amati4 ,the same authority says there are only two in ,england of this make4 ,it possesses a splendid fine full and rich tone1 beautiful wood for the belly1 but the back rather plain1 varnish deep yellow with reddish tinge4 ,workmanship not very fine4 ,we mention those little known artistes' instruments when we have seen them1 because they are now rising in value and are esteemed as likely to afford good instruments to those who cannot afford those of the three great masters4 ,,stradiuarius1 ,,antonius1 ,cremona1 born #afdd1 died #agcg4 ,see separate chapter for a fuller account of this celebrated artiste4 ,,stradiuarius1 ,,homobono1 ,cremona1 son of ,antonius2 made instruments under the direction of his father1 which were signed ,sub disciplina ,a4 ,stradiuarius4 ,,stradiuarius1 ,,francisco1 ,cremona1 another son of ,antonius1 and signed in the same manner as his brother4 ,,straube1 ---- ,berlin1 #aggj4 ,constructed after the ,italian model4 ,his instruments are scarce and good4 ,,strnad1 ,,gaspar1 ,prague1 #agha to #agic4 ,this maker bears a good reputation4 ,,sturionus1 ,,laurentius4 ,see ,storioni4 ,,sursano1 ,,spiritus1 ,coni1 #agfd4 ,t4 ,,taylor1 ---- ,london1 #aggj to #ahbj4 ,,techler1 ,,david1 first established himself at ,salzburg1 and afterwards went to ,venice1 where the story goes that he was so persecuted by other makers that he fled to ,rome1 about #agjf4 ,he made some excellent and beautiful instruments4 ,they have fine yellow varnish and resemble those of the ,tyrolean school of ,albani and others4 ,lindley had a violoncello by this maker which was very fine1 and powerful in tone4 ,another was sold a few years ago by auction1 for ,l#ej4 ,we have seen a violin of this maker1 with very beautiful wood and highly finished workmanship1 the tone of which was very pure and polished4 ,,tenzel1 ---- ,one of our catalogues contains a violin by this maker1 but we have no particulars4 ,,teoditi1 ,,jerome1 ,rome1 #agej4 ,,testator1 ,,il ,,vecchio1 ,milan1 about #aebj4 ,a claim has been made for this maker that he was the first to give the name of violino to the reduced viol4 ,,terresio1 ---- ,an ,italian who died in #ahec1 was a most eminent judge of instruments4 ,his whole existence seemed to be centered in his art1 and his eye became so practised that when travelling to discover old instruments1 he took them all to pieces1 sides1 backs1 heads1 and all parts1 forming a conglomerate mass of pieces of valuable violins4 ,the object of so doing was to avoid the customs' dues which are of course heavy on old instruments4 ,when he reached his destination1 he would replace them without the aid of a single mark4 ,after his death his house1 or rather his hermitage1 was visited by connoisseurs1 who found it strewed with different parts of instruments1 some being found in the most out of the way places4 ,he had the major part of all the great instruments through his hands4 ,among other valuable instruments found in his house after his death1 was a ,gaspar di ,salo double bass and a ,bergonzi double bass--the latter unique4 ,both these instruments are now in ,mr4 ,hart's possession4 ,the ,gaspar di ,salo is very perfect and its tone is unsurpassed4 ,the ,bergonzi is quite a curiosity1 from its being the only one of his make known4 ,he visited this country during the ,exhibition of #ahea1 and was deeply gratified upon seeing so many high class instruments among the dilettanti here1 and the taste and zest the ,english have in forming collections4 ,,testore1 ,,carlo ,,guiseppe1 ,cremona1 about #agjj4 ,this artiste made some very good instruments after the ,guarnerius pattern4 ,the wood of the backs of his violoncellos is mostly pear tree1 and the bellies are of splendid wood4 ,the tone is very powerful1 but not always so smooth as might be wished4 ,this is another rising name4 ,the celebrated double bass player ,bottesini1 uses one of this maker's instruments which possesses a splendid tone1 and is sufficient to stamp ,testore as an excellent maker4 ,if any of his smaller instruments possess as good and fine a tone as this double bass he must be ranked among the best ,italian artistes4 ,use will probably wear away the want of smoothness at present complained of in some of them4 ,,testore1 ,,carlo ,,antonio1 ,milan1 about #agaj to #agcj4 ,,testore1 ,,paolo ,,antonio1 ,milan1 about #agbj to #agdj4 ,both the above have the reputation of being good makers4 ,of these artistes we have a note which states that their model was flat1 resembling ,joseph ,guarnerius in shape1 but the varnish very inferior and void of colour4 ,,thorowgood4 ,,henry1 ,london1 the #ahth ,century4 ,,tobin1 ---- ,london1 #ahjj to #ahcf4 ,this maker cut most beautiful heads1 and his work was neatness in the extreme1 so much so indeed as to rob it of decided character4 ,,tonini1 ,,felice1 ,bologna4 ,,tonini1 ,,antonio1 ,bologna4 ,,tonini1 ,,carlo1 ,bologna4 ,,tonini1 ,,guido1 ,bologna4 ,we have no special information on these makers1 but they are generally ranked among the good ,italian makers4 ,,tononi1 ,,carlo1 ,venezia1 #afii ,,tononi1 ,,giovanni1 ,venezia1 #afii4 ,the instruments by ,tononi are worthy of the highest praise4 ,they are however very scarce4 ,they are of the large pattern1 and flat model1 with good varnish1 and everything about them1 including a superior tone1 to entitle them to be ranked as excellent instruments4 ,,toring1 ---- ,london4 ,,trunco1 ---- ,cremona1 #affj4 ,u4 ,,urquart1 ,,thomas1 ,london1 #afej4 ,an excellent old ,english maker4 ,he used beautiful varnish 7for ,english7 and made many small violins which are useful to young players1 being old and the price reasonable4 ,v4 ,,valler1 ---- ,marseilles1 #afhc4 ,,veron1 ---- ,paris1 about #agbe4 ,highly esteemed in ,france4 ,,viard1 ,,nicholas1 ,versailles1 about #agcj4 ,,vibrecht1 ,,gysbert1 ,amsterdam1 #agjg4 ,,vimercati1 ,,paulo1 ,venezia1 #agjj4 ,,vogel1 ,,wolfgang1 ,nuremberg4 ,,vuillaume1 ,,jean1 #agjj to #agdj4 ,worked with ,straduarius1 and made some good instruments under his own name4 ,,vuillaume1 ,,jean ,,baptiste1 ,paris4 ,now living4 ,famous for his copies of ,cremonese instruments4 ,this artiste obtained by personal researches in ,cremona the particulars of the life of ,stradiuarius1 which ,fetis has embodied in his book4 ,w4 ,,wagner1 ,,joseph1 ,constance1 #agcc4 ,,wamsley1 ,,peter1 ,london1 #agbg4 ,a celebrated artiste1 who made many excellent instruments4 ,those with the dark brown varnish are the most valuable4 ,they were mostly of the ,steiner patterns4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,rodgers1 organist of ,doncaster ,parish ,church1 has a very beautiful tenor by this maker1 which is built in the shape of a double bass1 and with very peculiar sound holes instead of the usual ,s ,s4 ,,weaver1 ,,samuel1 ,london4 ,,weiss1 ,,jacob1 ,salzburg1 #agfa4 ,,wenger1 ,,gregorio ,,ferdinand1 ,salzburg1 #agfa4 ,,weymann1 ,,cornelius1 ,amsterdam1 #afhb4 ,,wightman1 ,,george1 #agfa4 ,,withalm1 ,,leopold1 ,nuremberg1 #agfe to #aghh4 ,otto says this maker's instruments are worthy the attention of the virtuoso1 and are extremely like those of ,steiner1 and difficult to distinguish from them4 ,,wise1 ,,christopher1 ,london1 #afef4 ,,wornum1 ---- ,london1 #agid4 ,,wright1 ,,daniel1 ,london1 #agde4 ,y4 ,,younge1 ,,john1 ,london1 #agbd4 ,z4 ,,zanetto1 ,,peregrino1 ,brescia1 about #aedj4 ,a maker of rebecs1 violas1 and viols da gamba4 ,,zanti1 ,,alessandro1 ,mantua1 about #aggj4 ,reckoned among the good ,italian makers4 ,,bow ,,makers4 ,it will not be considered out of place in the course of a biographical account of the principal makers of violins1 to give a short notice of some eminent persons without whose labours1 the violin itself would never have been developed as it has been1 to wit1 violin bow makers4 ,much of the elegant finish and refinement of tone and style which distinguish the great players of the violin1 if not due altogether to the bow1 by which the tone is produced1 is at all events greatly aided by it4 ,a ,paganini will have a ,tourte bow1 and so will every other great master1 if he can get one4 ,there must be something therefore in the bow1 as well as in the violin1 more than meets the eye of a casual observer4 ,we have not here space to enter into the subtle niceties which distinguish the bows of ,tourte of ,france1 of ,dodd of ,england1 and others4 ,suffice it to say that whoever boasts of an excellent violin should match it with a superior bow4 ,one is incomplete without the other4 ,there are many excellent makers1 but we must content ourselves with briefly noticing the most prominent4 ,suffice it to say in the way of advice and warning that whether the amateur buy an old or a new bow1 let him see that its flexibility1 which is its great merit1 is perfect1 and that it is still strong though light and straight4 ,mr4 ,bishop in his edition of ,otto says the finest bows are those of ,vuillaume6 ,he does not even mention any others4 ,tourte and ,dodd do not deem to be worthy his remembrance6 ,there must be nevertheless something in the bows of these makers which commands great respect1 for any performer of skill will give 7if he can get one1 that is the difficulty17 ten or twelve times the amount for a perfect ,tourte1 which will buy a ,vuillaume6 ,there is no doubt that ,vuillaume manufactures good bows--but to rank them highest is so palpable a misrepresentation that we have thought it necessary to enter a protest against it4 ,,tourte1 ,,francis1 ,paris1 born #agdg1 died #ahce4 ,this is conceded1 by all the best judges1 to be the greatest maker we have ever known1 in fact the ,stradiuarius of the bow4 ,his father and grandfather were instrumental in improving the bow1 but ,francis ,tourte brought it to the greatest perfection4 ,his bows are light and flexible1 yet straight4 ,they are highly finished and made of the finest ,brazil wood4 ,he himself sold his bows mounted with gold1 at #ab louis1 7,l#aa #ds4 #f;d47 each2 with silver #c-a_/b louis 7,l#c #es4 #f;d47 ,it is said the reason of his charging so much was that he found so great a difficulty in getting wood fine enough to satisfy his critical judgment1 and that he also made no scruple to break any which did not reach his standard of perfection2 he was therefore compelled to charge those sums for such as he permitted to go forth4 ,whoever wishes to match his cherished ,cremona with an equally fine bow will get a ,tourte if he can4 ,,lupot1 of ,paris1 was another excellent maker4 ,his bows are not quite so light as those of ,tourte1 but they are in all other respects highly esteemed4 ,,dodd1 ,,edward1 born at ,sheffield1 and died in ,london1 at the age of #aje years1 in #ahaj1 was distinguished as an improver of the bow in ,england1 about the same time that the ,tourtes were founding their great reputation in ,france4 ,the great maker of this name1 however1 and who has achieved the honourable title of the ,tourte of ,england1 is ,,dodd1 ,,john1 the son of ,edward4 ,the best bows of this maker are highly esteemed1 and partake of all the excellencies of those of ,tourte4 ,some of them1 however1 are rather short1 which is perhaps their only defect4 ,after these come the bows of ,panormo1 ,pecatte1 ,tubbs1 ,vuillaume1 and other ,english and ,foreign artistes1 whose best bows are much esteemed4 ,as between old and new bows1 we would observe that in general modern bows are nearly us useless as new violins4 ,the wood of which most of them are made is very inferior to that of the older artistes1 and there is always a doubt whether they will stand continued use and remain straight and flexible4 ,with an old bow1 if it is straight1 there is no fear1 with ordinary care1 of its remaining so4 ,a good bow is as important as a good violin4 ,,the ,,great ,,cremona ,,makers4 ,,the ,,amati ,,family4 ,cremona6 ,who has not heard of this now celebrated ,italian city8 ,and yet but for a fiddle maker it is very probable indeed that it would never have been known beyond the circle of its own local interests and its relations with neighbouring cities4 ,now1 however1 its name is a spell to conjure with4 ,a ,cremona ,violin is1 to a rich amateur1 a loadstone that is sure to attract the shining metal from the depths of his purse4 ,seven hundred pounds have been given for a ,guarnerius ,violin6 ,think of that ye dilettanti who are so proud of your pictures and marbles6 ,even the poor fiddler has his ,mecca far away1 and it is called ,cremona4 ,like pictures1 the ,cremona ,violins are real works of art1 and like them also1 were once to be had for trifling sums4 ,cuyps and ,paul ,potters1 ,stradiuarii and ,guarnerii were once to be had for three or four pounds each that are now worth as many hundreds4 ,a ,cremona instrument has even been considered a worthy gift to pass between crowned heads1 ,pope ,pius ,v4 having presented a violoncello by ,andreas ,amati to ,charles ,,ix4 of ,france4 ,fleeting however are the honours of time6 ,cremona has lost its most famous names from among its citizens1 and with them its most distinguished characteristic4 ,for nearly a hundred years no maker of great skill has arisen to dispute the glory of the place with the ,amati1 ,stradiuarius1 and ,guarnerius1 by whom the fame of ,cremona will be carried to the latest generations4 ,it is now about three centuries since there flourished at ,cremona its first great violin maker4 ,andreas ,amati appears to have been born there in #aebj1 and died in #aehj4 ,the family was an ancient one1 and is mentioned as early as #ajig in the records of the city4 ,it is a remarkable fact1 and shows in a strong light the difference of manners and customs in different countries that both ,amati and ,stradiuarius seem to have been of ancient and honourable families1 and yet notwithstanding their adopting an avocation which would in ,england be thought to tarnish an old family name1 they lived and died respected and honoured by their fellow citizens4 ,there is no account of how or of whom ,andrew ,amati acquired the art of violin making2 but it is clear that by some means he had attained to a considerable amount of skill4 ,under the head of ,gaspar di ,salo1 we have however hazarded a conjecture that he had been to ,brescia for the first principles of the art1 but that he had adopted little that he found there except the varnish and the general routine of the workshop4 ,some of his instruments are described as beautifully made1 and to have amber varnish of excellent quality of a deep rich yellow tinted with brown or light red colour4 ,his violins appear to have been chiefly of the small pattern and high model4 ,the backs are mostly cut the reverse way of the grain to the present rule1 forming what are now termed slab backs4 ,they possess a delicate graceful tone of wonderful sweetness1 which has also been more or less the chief characteristic of the other makers of this family4 ,with reference to this peculiarity1 an eminent writer observes that in the times in which the ,amati lived1 the tone was not required to be of that powerful character which modern players demand1 and that such an immense tone as many later instruments possess would not then have been tolerated4 ,this is very probable1 and may account also for the elevated model which was adopted both by ,andrew and some others of the ,amati4 ,this model conjoined with their beautiful workmanship and generally small size1 combined to produce that elegant delicious sweet tone which of all other makers1 the ,amatis especially possess4 ,they also1 all of them1 made a greater number of instruments of the smaller size than what is known as the grand pattern1 no doubt because the tone produced by them was found generally sufficient4 ,they were also made to carry a much lower bridge and a lighter bass bar than are now used1 and the proportions were arranged accordingly4 ,on this point ,m4 ,maugin1 author of a ,treatise1 entitled ,manuel du ,luthier1 makes some remarks which we have translated as pertinent and valuable4 ,speaking on the subject of repairing old instruments1 he says1 ,there is no violin maker now1 who does not put1 whether in the instruments he has to repair1 or in those which he makes1 a much stronger bar than those which were employed by the great makers themselves4 ,they must have felt the necessity of doing this or they would not all act in this way4 ,now what is the reason of this mode of working8 ,i have seen in the hands of rich amateurs1 several instruments which have been preserved with a religious care1 absolutely in the form which ,amati and ,stradiuarius had given to them4 ,the bridges of these violins had only an inch and a fraction of height above the belly1 while now-adays bridges have a height of an inch and 7say7 three-eighths4 ,now1 the belly being put into vibration by strings at a great distance from it1 and these strings vibrating by themselves more at the distance of fourteen lines than at twelve1 it has been found necessary to strengthen the bar which1 without that1 being drawn into too great a vibration1 would give to the strings sol and re a cottony sound which would have quite spoiled the goodness of the instrument4 ,m4 ,maugin does not say why higher bridges are now used1 but there is no doubt on this point4 ,all judges concur that the pitch having been so greatly raised since the old instruments were built1 a stronger bar has been found necessary1 to counterbalance the increased tension of the higher bridge4 ,andrew ,amati gave to his instruments a still more decided swell than the later members of his family1 his successors no doubt finding a diminution in the rise of the model to produce a fuller if not a sweeter tone4 ,this principle was gradually carried forward till it culminated in ,antonius ,stradiuarius1 who brought it to perfection and demonstrated that the flat model produced the greatest vibration and consequently the most powerful tone4 ,otto in his celebrated work on the ,construction of the ,violin1 does not mention ,andrew ,amati1 but says that those of ,hieronymus were the oldest ,cremona ,violins4 ,this is one of the mistakes in his original work which renders it comparatively useless4 ,connoisseurs and collectors have dissipated those errors1 and we now know to a certainty that to ,andrew ,amati of ,cremona1 and ,gaspar di ,salo of ,brescia1 7of whom also ,otto was ignorant17 we owe the establishment of these two great schools of violin making4 ,from their great age1 the instruments of these two great makers are now very rare4 ,they are most of them about three centuries old1 and though they appear to have made a considerable number1 they have through the influences of time and accident gradually disappeared4 ,some of ,andrew ,amati's instruments are still left however in the hands of dilettanti and collectors1 and retain that distinguishing characteristic of delicious and sympathetic quality which has been the chief charm of all the ,amati productions4 ,andrew had a brother called ,,nicholas1 of whom little appears to be known4 ,after ,,andrew1 as great makers1 come his two sons ,,antonius and ,,hieronymus1 who flourished from #aeej to #afcd4 ,,antonius made many small pattern violins1 which possess in the highest degree the distinguishing characteristic of the family--a sweet but not powerful tone4 ,he also constructed some of a larger pattern4 ,,antonius and ,,hieronymus conjointly built a number of large pattern violins1 which are of high finish and beautiful wood4 ,they are very highly esteemed1 and a well preserved example will command a large price4 ,,nicholas was the greatest artiste of this deservedly celebrated family1 and many instruments still exist to attest the excellence of his workmanship and his knowledge of the proportions requisite to produce a fine tone4 ,he also built many small pattern instruments1 but he appears to have almost anticipated ,stradiuarius and succeeded in producing some instruments of the grand pattern which possess a very powerful as well as sweet tone1 and are considered to rival in every respect the famous instruments of that great master4 ,some of his violins possess a distinguishing mark in a rather abrupt rise in the centre4 ,otto describes it as a sharp ridge4 ,it is not exactly so1 but is still very different to the gradual swell on the other ,cremona instruments4 ,his best violins1 which are known by the title of ,grand ,amatis1 are those which approximate closely to the very best instruments of ,stradiuarius and ,guarnerius4 ,there can be no doubt therefore1 that in these fine specimens of his skill1 he had hit upon the same principles which afterwards guided those distinguished artistes in the construction of those most renowned violins which now command the admiration of violinists throughout the world4 ,we have said that the chief characteristic of the ,amati violins is a sweet but not powerful tone4 ,it is necessary to qualify and explain this remark4 ,from their excellent construction and beautiful wood1 which has evidently been selected with the greatest care for its resonant quality--their age and long and careful use1 their tone is divested of all extraneous properties1 and become fine and pure4 ,notwithstanding therefore their original small tone1 when fitted with the modern appliances of larger bars and higher bridges1 some have been found quite competent for all purposes4 ,in #ahfa the celebrated instrument by ,antonius ,amati1 which was presented by ,george ,,iv4 to ,francois ,cramer1 was sold by auction1 and it was stated in the catalogue that that great performer always led the ,ancient and other concerts on that instrument4 ,the fact no doubt is that it is the fine and pure quality of tone that tells1 arising from age1 constant use1 and beautiful woods4 ,they seem to be now divested of all extraneous characteristics and are become refined and ethereal1 and are in fact the nightingales of the stringed tribe4 ,that the ,stradiuarius and ,guarnerius have equal quality combined with more power arising from their flatter model is undoubted1 and therefore they are the most valued4 ,it is believed that the finest specimen of the skill of ,nicholas ,amati is in the possession of ,ole ,bull4 ,it is of the large pattern1 and possesses a magnificent tone1 as many of our readers have no doubt heard4 ,we think we shall please our readers by inserting verbatim the following excellent description of the ,amati instruments1 furnished to us by an able and experienced connoisseur4 ,he says3-- ,,nicholas ,,amati and the ,,brothers ,,amati4 ,the tone is with few exceptions sweet in quality and seldom powerful1 but admirably suited to the amateur4 ,the workmanship is of the highest order1 which conduces to this result4 ,the wood must have been selected with great judgment4 ,the bellies are nearly always of a fine reedy nature4 ,sometimes the backs are whole backs 7in one piece71 at others in two1 more often the latter4 ,the varnish of a beautiful amber colour1 and there are a few instances of fine red4 ,the sides generally rather shallow1 heads of exquisite form and well defined4 ,the care bestowed upon them alone bespeaks the hand of the artist4 ,there are several magnificent tenors and violoncellos1 and perhaps three or four double basses4 ,the tenors are sometimes seen of large size4 ,the ,amati family made several sets of instruments for foreign courts1 which bear their particular arms1 mostly beautifully painted on the backs4 ,the violins known as ,grand ,amatis are the best1 and were made by ,nicholas ,amati4 ,they take their name from their size4 ,he also made many long pattern instruments1 and also several three quarter violins1 which have conferred a great boon upon juvenile violinists who are able to purchase them1 by giving them an opportunity of early becoming familiar with the irreproachable ,italian quality of tone4 ,in reference to the remark made in the preceding paragraph1 it is recorded that a set of instruments1 no doubt one of those therein alluded to1 was made for ,charles #ith of ,france by ,andrew ,amati1 consisting of twenty-four violins1 six violas1 and eight basses4 ,these were lost from ,versailles in #agij1 and have not been recovered1 except two which ,m4 ,cartier discovered some years since4 ,notwithstanding that ,andrew ,amati was the first maker of any note1 except ,gaspar di ,salo of ,brescia1 it is clear that he had attained an astonishing amount of skill1 as there is an account of a violoncello which was offered by auction at the sale of the celebrated ,sir ,wm4 ,curtis's instruments by ,mr4 ,musgrave1 who in the catalogue stated that a document was given to the proprietor when he purchased this instrument1 stating that it was presented by ,pope ,pius #eth to ,charles #ith of ,france for his chapel4 ,it has been richly painted1 the arms of ,france being on the back1 and the motto ',pietate et ,justitia' on the sides4 ,the tone of this violoncello is of extraordinary power and richness4 ,mr4 ,forster supposes this to have been one of the instruments mentioned before1 but that would destroy the value of the document given to ,sir ,william1 because if ,andrew ,amati made it for ,pope ,pius #eth1 who presented it to ,charles #ith it could not have been one of those made by him expressly for that monarch4 ,it is clear however that the tone was both grand and fine1 and therefore the first of the ,amatis must have attained great ability in his art4 ,we have before mentioned the celebrated ,nicholas ,amati violin1 dated #afgi1 formerly the property of the same distinguished collector1 ,sir ,w4 ,curtis1 and which has since been sold by ,mr4 ,hart to the great violinist ,ole ,bull4 ,this is considered the finest specimen of the ,amati skill and was thus described in the catalogue of the sale--,this is justly considered as one of the most beautiful and finest instruments in the ,,whole ,,world4 ,the ,count de ,castelbarco of ,milan1 possessed a quartett of instruments by ,nicholas ,amati1 which have since been sold in ,london 7see the article on ,stradiuarius47 ,m4 ,fetis describes these as admirable1 but as our readers will see1 the ,english connoisseurs do not appear to have coincided generally with the critic on their quality1 as only one of them produced any great price4 ,there is a splendid grand ,amati in the hands of an amateur in ,derbyshire1 which formerly belonged to ,mr4 ,hankey the banker1 for whom it was purchased with others by ,viotti1 who dedicated several of his compositions to him4 ,this instrument possesses in an eminent degree the admirable qualities of the ,amati tone1 with also considerable power4 ,another of the same set in the same hands is a splendid ,stradiuarius of the large pattern with a magnificent tone4 ,there are many fine examples of the different makers of this celebrated name in this country4 ,english connoisseurs suffer those of no other nation to excel them in their collections4 ,,antonius ,,stradiuarius4 ,a most interesting account of ,antonius ,stradiuarius1 who is generally thought to be the greatest maker of the violin--has been published by ,m4 ,fetis1 and translated into ,english by ,mr4 ,bishop of ,cheltenham4 ,in addition to records of his family1 which was an ancient one in ,cremona1 obtained by ,m4 ,vuillaume in his persevering labours in search of information1 and which he placed at the service of ,m4 ,fetis--the latter enters deeply into what we may call the science of violin making1 and presents us with many interesting and valuable experiments which have been made on fragments of the great instruments1 in order to ascertain the exact principles which enabled ,stradiuarius to build with such undeviating and brilliant success4 ,the book is well worthy the perusal of all amateurs of the violin4 ,,antonius ,,stradiuarius was born in ,cremona1 in #afdd1 and died there in #agcg1 having lived in the peaceful exercise of his art to the great age of ninety-three4 ,there is a violin still extant which bears his signature and proves this fact4 ,in the early part of his life1 he was a pupil of ,nicholas ,amati1 and some of his early productions bear his master's name1 as seems to have been the custom4 ,these instruments have the ,amati characteristics1 and have some of the backs cut the contrary way of the grain1 forming what are known by the name of slab backs4 ,he afterwards enlarged his model and adopted a flatter pattern1 and arrived at the greatest perfection about #agjj4 ,from that period to #agbe1 everything he made bore the impress of the great master4 ,in shape1 the cutting of the ,s holes1 the varnish1 and the accuracy with which all the parts were adjusted in harmonical relation1 from that time he excelled all who had gone before him1 or who have since attempted the difficult task of vying with him4 ,all these instruments are of the flat pattern1 which is now proved to be best adapted for the production of a rich1 deep and powerful tone4 ,it would appear that the more elevated model used before his time1 although it allowed of very fine quality of tone1 tended to prevent that strong vibration which is the cause of great tone4 ,m4 ,fetis insists that the violins of ,stradiuarius were as good and fine in quality of tone when made as they are now1 contrary to the established opinion that time is necessary as well as use for refining and perfecting all violins4 ,he gives an instance of a violin made by ,stradiuarius1 now in ,paris1 which he states has never been played upon--but we must beg to doubt this fact4 ,though we are ready to admit that the careful adjustment of the different parts and the selection of fine wood1 would tend to perfect the tone of these instruments1 much sooner than others less carefully fashioned1 yet in the instance he brings forward in support of his theory1 it does not appear quite so clear that the violin never had been played upon4 ,on the contrary1 there are many years unaccounted for1 in his description of it1 during which it might have undergone considerable use4 ,it appears almost impossible that while in the hands of various possessors1 so fine an instrument should have been suffered to lie idle in a cabinet1 as though it were a picture to be looked at1 but not touched4 ,from its condition1 however1 it is clear that it had always been in hands that prized it1 for he describes it as having quite the appearance of a new instrument4 ,in this respect1 therefore1 we must still adopt the opinion of the most eminent judges1 including that recorded by ,spohr1 that it requires both time and use to perfect all instruments of the violin class4 ,it would appear moreover that this has always been a settled belief1 for even ,mace in his ,music's ,monument1 published in #afgf1 says ,we chiefly value old instruments before new for by experience they are found to be far the best4 ,as to the condition of this instrument which ,fetis states to be quite unique for its perfection and apparent newness1 our countryman1 ,mr4 ,gardiner1 in his interesting work1 ,music and ,friends1 says that ,mr4 ,champion1 an amateur had given #cjj guineas for a ,stradiuarius violin and tenor1 of a beautiful yellow colour inclining to orange1 and which appeared to have been untouched since the day they were made4 ,here then in this country is a double instance of the same fact as to condition1 for which ,m4 ,fetis claims for the ,paris instrument the title of unique4 ,the fact is that these fine violins have for many years been so highly appreciated that their possessors have taken the most extraordinary care to prevent their being damaged or disfigured1 and there are many instances of violins in equally perfect condition4 ,after #agbe1 at which date ,stradiuarius was #hj years old1 his work lost some of its characteristic excellence though still of great merit4 ,his sons1 ,homobono and ,francesco1 now assisted him1 but he appears still to have signed them1 occasionally adding to their names however1 the words sub disciplina ,a4 ,stradiuarius4 ,he had many pupils1 the chief and the best of whom was ,carlo ,bergonzi4 ,there were also ,gobetti of ,venice1 ,guadagnini of ,cremona1 ,michael ,angelo ,bergonzi1 and others mentioned in the dictionary4 ,fine examples of the works of his pupils are now becoming very valuable1 and are well worthy attention4 ,stradiuarius made a few instruments inlaid with ebony and ivory round the edges4 ,there is a quartett of them1 all bearing the same date #afhg4 ,one is in the collection of ,charles ,plowden1 ,esq42 the other violin belongs to a gentleman in ,staffordshire2 the violoncello belongs to the ,queen of ,spain1 and the tenor was once the property of ,sir ,wm4 ,curtis4 ,this is a very curious and remarkable set of instruments1 very highly finished and in fine preservation4 ,there is also another violin inlaid which belonged to the late ,dr4 ,camidge of ,york1 bearing date #agac4 ,a4 ,fountain1 ,esq41 has in his possession1 the last violin which ,stradiuarius made4 ,this instrument is known as the ,habenock ,violin from the previous owner's name from whom ,mr4 ,fountain had it4 ,charles ,plowden1 ,esq41 has a quartett of splendid instruments by ,stradiuarius1 of which one violin is of the ,grand ,pattern1 dated #agai2 another dated #agaa2 which are perfect in model and preservation1 and both first-class2 the third is a remarkable violin1 with rich golden varnish1 dated #agji--;a perfect instrument1 which has been twice sold for ,l#fjj1 was formerly the property of ,emiliani and is still known by his name4 ,the fourth violin is the inlaid instrument mentioned above4 ,besides these1 ,mr4 ,plowden possesses a magnificent violoncello by ,stradiuarius--a remarkable specimen both for beauty and tone2 and also1 four violins by ,joseph ,guarnerius which will be mentioned under the head of that master4 ,there is in ,derbyshire a very fine ,stradiuarius which was purchased by ,viotti for his friend ,mr4 ,hankey1 from whom this and the ,amati mentioned elsewhere went to his brother1 a distinguished amateur1 who died some years ago4 ,wm4 ,howard1 ,esq41 of ,sheffield1 has a fine ,stradiuarius violin1 of the most beautiful yellow varnish1 splendid wood1 fine tone1 and perfect condition1 which formerly belonged to ,salomon4 ,we may also mention here that the late eminent violinist ,ernst1 played upon a very fine ,stradiuarius ,violin which was presented to him by ,a4 ,fountain1 ,esq41 an ardent admirer of that famous player4 ,joachim also uses a ,stradiuarius4 ,servais1 the great ,french performer1 uses a ,stradiuarius ,violoncello1 which is said to be the handsomest known1 and which cost him #ejj guineas4 ,the value of the best productions of the genius of ,stradiuarius is now very great4 ,mr4 ,betts1 of ,london1 had one for which he refused the enormous sum of ,l#ejj1 and ,dragonetti also refused ,l#hjj for a double bass4 ,the highest price1 ,l#fjj however was given twice for the violin now belonging to ,mr4 ,plowden4 ,but even such prices have been exceeded by that of the celebrated ,king ,joseph ,guarnerius mentioned elsewhere1 which realised ,l#gjj4 ,it must not be understood however that such prices are the rule1 for it is only for extraordinary specimens that any such great sum can be obtained4 ,excellent instruments are frequently sold for much smaller amounts1 and it must also be remembered that none but those made from about #agjj to #agbe realise such enormous sums4 ,his earlier productions1 which resemble those of his master1 and which are known by the name of ,stradiuarius ,amatis1 can be had occasionally for moderate prices4 ,an undoubted violin of any period of this great master's make1 is well worthy the attention of the virtuoso4 ,they are all good1 but the grand pattern of this wonderful genius1 possessing equal sweetness with greatly increased power1 are only now to be had by connoisseurs of unlimited means4 ,as an illustration of the more moderate prices which these fine productions command1 we think it may interest our readers to give here the result of a public sale of ,cremona instruments belonging to the ,count de ,castelbarco of ,milan1 a distinguished amateur4 ,m4 ,fetis in his work states that the ,count possessed two quartetts of ,stradiuarius1 very remarkable instruments2 another of ,joseph ,guarnerius2 a fourth of ,nicholas ,amati1 and lastly a quartett of ,steiner1 of which he specially particularises the ,tenor as being a model of perfection as to workmanship1 and the tone of which is of extreme beauty4 ,these instruments were sold by auction by ,messrs4 ,puttick and ,simpson1 on the #bfth ,june1 #ahfb4 ,we quote the report of the ,times1 by which it will be seen that our ,english connoisseurs did not appreciate them so highly as ,m4 ,fetis4 ,the ,times did not mention the ,guarnerii and the ,steiner at all1 we presume because the prices were nothing remarkable4 ,,lot4 #a ,violin by ,stradiuarius1 #agab ,l #gj #b ,violin by ,stradiuarius1 #afii ,l #ef #e ,tenor ,violin by ,stradiuarius1 #agae ,l#ajj #f ,violin by ,stradiuarius1 #agja ,l#ace #h ,violin by ,stradiuarius1 #afhe ,l#ace #i ,violin by ,stradiuarius1 #agac ,l #ij #ab ,violin by ,nicholas ,amati #ci gs4 #ac ,violin by ,andrew ,amati #cf gs4 #bf ,violoncello1 ,stradiuarius #afig ,l#baj #bh ,violoncello1 ,stradiuarius #afhg ,l#aae #cj ,violoncello1 ,nicholas ,amati #afhg ,l#acj #ca ,original ,letter by ,stradiuarius ,l #h ,at the same sale a ,grand ,amati ,violin1 jewelled at the corners1 ,l#fj2 ,violin by ,guarnerius1 #ch guineas4 ,in addition to the above we may mention that the ,stradiuarius ,violin1 which once belonged to a member of the ,medici ,family1 was sold by auction a short time ago1 at the ,hotel de ,drouet in ,paris1 for #e1gde;f41 about ,l#bcj1 an excellent price for a ,parisian connoisseur4 ,we have already mentioned many fine instruments by ,stradiuarius which are in the hands of connoisseurs and performers4 ,we will now mention a fact which in the estimation of all true lovers of these fine violins is to be greatly regretted4 ,it is not the only instance1 as probably our readers are aware that the celebrated ,guarnerius ,violin of ,paganini1 is now locked up in a museum at ,genoa4 ,there is at a museum in the city of ,florence1 a quartett of beautiful instruments by ,stradiuarius1 consisting of two violins1 tenor1 and violoncello1 which were presented to the institution by an ,italian ,nobleman1 whose ancestors purchased them from the master himself4 ,these instruments are most beautiful and in the highest preservation4 ,but of all other curiosities1 ,cremona ,violins are the most unsuitable for a museum1 because they lie there dead1 and are no more than names4 ,the soul of music which is embodied in them is imprisoned within wood and crystal1 and is no more heard of men4 ,let no one leave his ,cremona to a museum4 ,before closing our account of this great master1 it may not be uninteresting to state in his life time1 he appears to have charged about ,l#d for a violin1 and that he made so many during the course of his long and industrious career1 that his fellow citizens spoke of him as rich4 ,as rich as ,stradiuarius1 was a common remark1 as we see by ,m4 ,fetis' notice4 ,another anecdote is1 that ,cervetto1 an ,italian merchant in ,london1 had a consignment of violins from the master himself1 and as he could not get four pounds each for them he returned them4 ,this appears strongly to disprove the assertion that his instruments were as good when made as they are now1 especially when we find that in #affb1 ,l#dj was given for two ,cremona violins for ,king ,charles' band1 no doubt the elder ,amati's1 which at that date would be getting mellowed by time4 ,it is clear that ,king ,charles1 or the leader of his band1 knew the value of ,cremona instruments1 for reckoning the difference in the value of money at the two periods1 ,l#bj then would purchase ,l#abj worth of goods now4 ,it is therefore extraordinary that if they were as good new as when they are old1 the paltry sum of four pounds could not be got for them4 ,the real truth no doubt is that whoever the maker1 time must be the refiner1 and even genius like that of ,stradiuarius and ,guarnerius could not impart that grand1 rich1 and mellow tone which distinguishes them without the aid of old ,father ,time4 ,,the ,,cremona ,,varnish4 ,those who desire to make themselves acquainted with the chief characteristics of the great ,cremona makers should take every opportunity of examining genuine instruments4 ,in addition to the other external indications we have pointed out1 one of the most important1 which is also the most difficult1 if not impossible to imitate1 is the varnish1 including the colour4 ,none of them seem to have adhered to one colour only4 ,the present master for instance covered some of his finest violins with a deep rich yellow1 almost approaching to orange4 ,others again will be found of a fine red1 having something of a most lovely light cherry tint4 ,now these colours were mixed by the best makers with amber varnish of the purest and clearest consistency1 and both colours and varnish are perfectly free from that muddy sort of appearance which so often disfigures modern instruments4 ,the effect is that of perfect transparency4 ,you look at a clear perfect rich colour1 as it were1 through the purest crystal4 ,this is one of the most certain indications of a genuine instrument4 ,the moderns unfortunately seem to have lost the secret of making this lovely transparent clear coloured varnish1 and the consequence is that a connoisseur of ability and experience never doubts when he sees an instrument whether it be the work of a great master4 ,it is however supposed that all the genuine productions of the chief ,cremona makers are now known1 and we would not therefore have our readers flatter themselves they can pick up any of them in a casual way4 ,vigilant eyes and sharp judgments have long swept over ,europe in search of them4 ,but the advantage is this--that a knowledge of the best enables the amateur to discern a near approach to it1 and thus distinguish those makers who are not so well known1 though1 being the pupils and followers of the great masters1 they are well worthy of his choice4 ,large diamonds are rare and very dear4 ,a smaller gem must suffice the amateur of moderate means4 ,,the ,,guarnerius ,,family4 ,this is another glorious name in the annals of ,cremona4 ,many of the first connoisseurs1 now hesitate whether to apply the epithet greatest to ,guarnerius or to ,stradiuarius4 ,the palm is therefore divided between them4 ,certain it is however that inasmuch as money rules the world1 if we resort to that test1 ,guarnerius is the brightest gem1 for it is recorded that he has sold for ,l#gjj and ,stradiuarius for only ,l#fjj4 ,most of the rich connoisseurs therefore desire to possess both4 ,the great players1 to whom money is more an object1 divide their affections between them1 and are satisfied with either one or the other1 as chance or opportunity may decide4 ,the first of this celebrated family was ,andreas1 who was born in #afcj and died about #afie4 ,he appears to have been a pupil of ,nicholas ,amati1 and shows much of his teacher's careful finish4 ,his instruments are generally beautifully made1 of good and handsome wood1 with excellent varnish1 principally of amber colour like that of the ,amatis4 ,he also occasionally1 but much more seldom1 used red coloured varnish4 ,this artiste is not famous for producing a great tone in his instruments1 and he is therefore not elevated to the first class1 but he made very good violins which are well worthy the attention of the amateur4 ,we have seen a very fine specimen in the hands of ,a4 ,bright1 ,esq41 of ,sheffield1 which was purchased of ,mr4 ,hart1 and which is decidedly the best instrument we have seen of this master4 ,it is remarkably handsome1 of a beautiful yellow colour1 the back of one piece with rather small figure1 the ribs similar1 the head most carefully and accurately formed and the belly of fine wood4 ,the tone is also more powerful than ,andrew's violins generally are1 and it is altogether a very fine example of his work4 ,,guiseppe ,,guarnerius is considered to be the son of ,andrew1 and his instruments are generally signed as filius ,andrae1 very probably to distinguish him from his more celebrated cousin and namesake1 who is besides generally known by the name of ,joseph del ,gesu4 ,guiseppe's instruments are very similar to his cousin's in quality--but less powerful and probably not so round in tone4 ,they have however1 a firm well defined kind of sound1 which is always pleasing both to the player and the hearer1 the former never feeling that the tone will give way under his bow4 ,there are a great number with slab backs4 ,the varnish is of first quality1 and his violins are yearly becoming more valuable and of greater importance4 ,we have seen a violoncello by this master1 which is very fine4 ,the back1 ribs and head of very beautiful small figured wood4 ,the belly of very fine grained wood1 the bate looking like fine threads of silk stretched at regular intervals the whole width and length of the instrument1 and with an exceedingly rich red varnish4 ,it possesses also a fine quality of tone1 and is dated #agac4 ,,pietro1 another son of ,andreas1 dates from #afij to #agbj4 ,in the latter part of his life1 he appears to have removed from ,cremona to ,mantua1 his labels bearing date from thence4 ,he was a pupil of his father1 but is said not to have equalled him in careful finish4 ,his instruments1 however1 command considerable respect and fetch a good price1 a violoncello of his being recorded to have sold a few years ago for ,l#abj4 ,,joseph1 nephew of ,andreas1 born in #afhc1 and died in #agde1 is the last and best of the race of violin makers of this name4 ,he was distinguished by the title of ,joseph del ,gesu1 through his using on his labels1 the monogram ,i4,h4,s41 with a cross over or through the ,h4 ,his career appears to have been of a very chequered complexion4 ,from all the accounts that have come down to us1 he seems to have been a man of irregular habits and eccentric genius4 ,in consequence of these peculiarities1 his instruments differ greatly in their characteristics4 ,neither the model1 the wood1 nor the varnish possesses much verisimilitude at different periods of his career4 ,they are all1 however1 marked by the stamp of genius1 and give but little trouble to a well informed connoisseur4 ,even under the most distressing circumstances1 when on some account1 he was confined in prison1 and was obliged to be indebted to his gaoler's daughter for the materials with which he worked1 they still bear the characteristics and originality of a great master4 ,the finish1 however1 of those which he made at this period was inferior to the others1 being rather coarse and slovenly1 and the work altogether little indicating externally the signs of that real excellence which they possess4 ,at his best period1 however1 his instruments are of rare beauty and merit1 and equal or perhaps excel those of ,stradiuarius4 ,the wood he then used was of fine quality1 and the varnish rich and lustrous and very often of similar lovely tints as those of that master4 ,many of his instruments are of rather small pattern1 but in his best period1 he produced some of large size and of extraordinary power and grandeur of tone4 ,among them was the famous favourite violin of ,paganini1 the renown of which1 says ,m4 ,vuillaume1 was equal to that of its master4 ,this was the instrument on which1 the most celebrated of all violin players the world ever saw1 produced those extraordinary effects which astonished the whole musical world1 and which will never be forgotten by those who heard them1 nor perhaps excelled by any other4 ,these instruments are however unfortunately very rare1 and as rich connoisseurs will have them if possible1 the value of them has come to be very great4 ,we have elsewhere mentioned the magnificent violin known by the name of the ,king ,joseph ,guarnerius1 for which ,mr4 ,hart received the enormous sum of ,l#gjj1 which is the largest amount ever obtained for a violin on record4 ,this splendid violin is of large pattern1 with beautiful rich orange yellow varnish and splendid wood4 ,it was imported into this country by ,mr4 ,hart1 and has been in the hands of those enthusiastic and judicious collectors1 ,mr4 ,james ,goding and ,mr4 ,stewart4 ,joseph ,guarnerius appears to have endeavoured to produce the grandest tone1 combining majesty and refinement4 ,many people think he did so without thought or design1 but we think otherwise4 ,in the first place he seems to have fixed on ,gaspar di ,salo and ,magini as his models1 for if a comparison be made we shall find there are many points which resemble these instruments1 for example1 the peculiar shaped sound holes1 the manner in which they are placed and the flat model1 all of which tend to produce power1 while he obtained the quality from the wonderful ingenuity he exercised in leaving the thicknesses of the wood in evidently the correct places1 which was the necessary step in advance4 ,he certainly made many rough instruments which are ascribed to his imprisonment1 and which are now called the ,prison ,guarnerii1 but the varnish on these even is not surpassed4 ,he made many of a rich yellow colour1 and others of red1 the latter of which are matchless instruments4 ,his heads are not finely cut1 but the character he gave them has never been excelled4 ,in the first rank of ,joseph ,guarnerius instruments we must no doubt place that belonging to ,paganini1 which would1 if it could be obtained1 command an extraordinary price1 and there are also many other noble productions of his skill extant4 ,the ,king ,joseph ,guarnerius we have before mentioned4 ,mr4 ,plowden has four very valuable violins by this master4 ,one was formerly the property of ,mr4 ,goding1 and was esteemed by him the finest in his collection4 ,another is quite equal1 more highly finished and has his splendid red varnish4 ,the third was formerly the property of ,ole ,bull1 and is considered of the finest model of the master in his more unfinished and larger sized instruments1 dated #agad4 ,the fourth1 less well known1 but perhaps more perfect1 certainly in tone1 #agdb4 ,these four instruments are considered by most of the virtuosi1 to be probably the finest examples extant of this great master4 ,certainly there are few collectors who can boast of having so many fine violins as these four by ,guarnerius1 and the four by ,stradiuarius previously described4 ,mr4 ,plowden has always gone on the principle of getting the very best instruments of each master1 and his taste and judgment are well evidenced in his collection4 ,the late ,earl of ,falmouth possessed some very valuable instruments such as the ,kiesewetter ,guarnerius and the ,jarnovick ,guarnerius1 so named after their owners1 and also a fine ,magini ,tenor1 all of which were purchased by ,mr4 ,hart4 ,the late lamented ,prince ,consort had a very fine tenor by ,joseph ,guarnerius1 which was highly finished and had belonged to ,dragonetti4 ,there are many other fine specimens of ,guarnerius in this country4 ,english collectors1 with that splendid contempt for cost which distinguishes them1 allow no fine instruments to leave the country if they know it1 and the consequence is that in the present day1 and for some time back1 ,england ranks first in the number and value of the ,cremona ,violins she possesses4 ,next comes ,france1 who has some able connoisseurs2 then ,russia and ,germany4 ,italy1 strange to say1 has suffered them all to leave her1 and though the native country of ,stradiuarius and ,guarnerius1 it is doubtful whether other nations have not attracted all the finest instruments out of her own possession4 ,the great rise in the value of these extraordinary instruments is no doubt due to the fact that they were built very strong in wood1 the effect of which would be to depreciate the tone when they were built1 but which1 now time has ameliorated them and the wood has become capable of free vibration1 has refined the quality and increased the tone4 ,fifty years ago1 a ,guarnerius of the best time might have been bought for ,l#ej that will now command ,l#ejj4 ,neither does it appear that they have yet reached their climax1 for they are yearly increasing in value as the examples we have mentioned clearly show4 ,,the ,,great ,,tyrolese ,,maker4 ,,jacob ,,steiner4 ,the time has been when the instruments of this master1 whose name is perhaps yet as widely known as the ,cremonese1 were very highly esteemed in ,england4 ,in ,germany it is so yet1 and many of the amateurs of that country flatter themselves that ,steiner ranks first in the roll of famous violin makers4 ,their celebrated violinist1 ,spohr1 however1 in his remarks on the subject inserted in his ,violin ,school does not coincide with the opinion of his fellow countrymen to this effect1 for he puts ,steiner in the second rank1 reserving to the first ,nicholas ,amati1 ,antonius ,stradiuarius1 and ,joseph ,guarnerius4 ,in this decision he also generally expresses the opinion of the travelled professional violinists of his own country as well as all ,europe4 ,but it is well known that in ,germany a well preserved instrument of ,steiner's best period will sell for much more money than any where else4 ,in ,england more especially we adopt exactly the reverse valuation4 ,steiner will not now command a greater price than many of the pupils of the great masters1 and perhaps to some extent this may arise from the immense number of spurious instruments bearing his name1 which the inferior ,tyrolese makers put forth to the world and palmed on a credulous public as his genuine instruments4 ,perhaps no master has been more copied and imitated1 both in ,germany and elsewhere4 ,in ,england the violin makers in the beginning of the eighteenth century1 mostly copied the pattern and model of ,steiner4 ,there must1 therefore1 be some good and powerful reason for this general depreciation in value and reputation which ,steiner has suffered4 ,this the candid inquirer readily finds in the fact that the instruments of ,steiner1 which were generally constructed on a high and peculiar model were only calculated for the production of a thin though sparkling tone1 while the ,italians aimed1 particularly in the flatter instruments1 to obtain a full rich and round tone4 ,this distinction is apparent even in the older ,cremona makers1 but if we compare those of ,steiner with those of ,nicholas ,amati1 of ,stradiuarius1 or ,guarnerius1 the thin tone of the former and the rich round tone of the latter become instantly most striking4 ,the consequence is that the rich amateurs who form collections1 and the great performers whose interest it is to please by the quality of tone as well as the grace and finish of their execution1 no longer purchase the ,steiner violins except as matters of curiosity in the case of a very fine example4 ,we do not know any great player who uses a ,steiner instrument1 as we shall show in another article4 ,we therefore only now class ,steiner among the great masters1 from his past reputation1 and for certain special instruments4 ,,jacob ,,steiner was a native of the ,tyrol1 and was born at ,absom1 near ,inspruck1 about #afbj4 ,it is said that an old instrument by ,kerlino1 which he found in the house1 gave him his first tendencies towards the art of violin making4 ,certain it is however that while yet a youth he obtained employment in the workshop of ,nicholas ,amati4 ,this was an excellent school for the young aspirant1 and after some years he made some instruments which1 with the exception of sixteen which will be mentioned later1 are considered to be the finest specimens of his talent4 ,these fine violins are the product of his ,cremonese inspiration1 and bear a written label signed by himself and dated from ,cremona about #afdd4 ,these instruments are modelled higher than those of his master1 thus showing a singular divergence from the principle of gradual decrease in the height of the model of the ,amatis1 from ,andrew to ,nicholas4 ,this divergence from that principle1 which ended in the flat model of ,stradiuarius1 must be considered to be the real cause of the loss of favour which the ,steiner violins1 though beautiful in other respects1 have undergone4 ,steiner exaggerated the old practice instead of following the new lights of science1 and while the latter have yielded the brightest results1 the former has tarnished the real talent of this otherwise excellent artiste4 ,probably another reason for the defective tone of ,steiner's instruments in comparison with the ,cremonese and ,brescian1 is the practice of modelling his violins with an extraordinary and peculiar rise to about the foot of the bridge1 and then keeping it nearly flat4 ,otto describes it thus1 the breadth of this raised part is about the same as the bridge itself1 and then it falls off towards the edges4 ,the model is precisely similar towards the neck and on the broad part 7beneath the finger board47 ,this description is only imperfect in this point that sufficient stress is not laid on the words fall off4 ,it is literally a falling off1 and on the principles of acoustics must of necessity make the tone thin4 ,andrew ,amati1 on the contrary1 built nearly as high1 but beautifully and gradually sloped them down to the purfling1 and his instruments1 though small in tone1 are yet full1 round and sweet4 ,in other respects ,steiner at this period was a most careful maker1 and his instruments show very fine finish and workmanship4 ,they are of the small pattern1 with the ,s holes rather shorter than the ,cremonas1 somewhat narrow and beautifully formed2 the head also smaller and particularly round and smooth4 ,the varnish is similar to that of the ,amatis1 and the wood of the belly has a fine open grain4 ,after the production of these instruments at ,cremona1 ,steiner removed to his native place and having married the daughter of ,antonius ,amati appears to have lost his ambition1 and made many very inferior instruments4 ,his history at this period is somewhat melancholy4 ,pressed by the necessities of a family and the want of active patronage1 his genius languished and he became negligent and careless in his work4 ,this continued for some time till fortune again smiled upon him1 when not being compelled to sell for immediate wants he again resumed his careful finish and began to be distinguished as a good maker4 ,at about this period ,klotz and ,albani became his pupils1 and he produced some excellent instruments1 which are often distinguished by the scrolls being ornamented with lions heads which are beautifully carved4 ,these and the heads of other animals are supposed to denote the crests of his patrons at this period4 ,they are dated from about #afej to #affg at ,absom4 ,fetis says the ,french violinist1 ,alard1 has a violin of this period of the greatest beauty1 and that there is in ,paris a genuine ,steiner1 which he has heard ,sivori play upon1 which although of a very small pattern has an unusually brilliant tone4 ,now comes the most brilliant period of this artiste's history in a musical sense1 though somewhat romantic and mysterious otherwise4 ,retiring to a monastery1 it is said after the death of his wife1 he there passed the remainder of his life1 but there does not appear to be any positive information when he died4 ,while there1 however1 he resolved to distinguish the close of his career by the construction of some violins of super-eminent beauty and quality4 ,this he accomplished by the aid of the superior1 who obtained for him some very fine wood1 out of which those most famous instruments1 known by the name of ,elector ,steiners were made by him4 ,these are the violins which by common consent most entitle this artiste to rank with the great masters4 ,they are of the very highest quality of the ,steiner tone1 which ,dubourg describes as a pure ringing ethereal tone1 comparable to that of a woman's perfect voice--a shape of elegance--studied finish in every detail1 and a diaphonous varnish of golden hue4 ,such are the characteristics1 says this enthusiastic admirer of these productions of ,steiner's third or last epoch4 ,there were sixteen of these violins1 one of which he presented to each of the twelve ,electors1 and the remaining four to the ,emperor4 ,unfortunately thirteen of them appear to have been lost1 and the remainder have all been in royal hands1 the ,empress ,maria ,theresa1 the ,duke of ,orleans1 grandfather of ,king ,louis ,philippe1 and ,frederick ,william of ,prussia1 and been presented by them 7except the last7 to eminent foreign violinists4 ,we have now presented a concise sketch of the career of this celebrated artiste1 and it is to be regretted that none of his more celebrated violins are known to be in this country1 to enable us to judge more accurately1 whether he succeeded1 in any of them1 in producing any close approximation to the rich round tone of the best ,cremona makers4 ,the best of those known to ,english connoisseurs are characterised by the thin though brilliant tone we have described1 which1 when compared with the ,italian masterpieces1 has led to their general depreciation in the estimation of the highest authorities and the most distinguished performers on the violin4 ,,why ,,are ,,certain ,,violins ,,of ,,more ,,value ,,than ,,others8 ,in considering this question1 several difficulties present themselves to the inquirer4 ,we are all aware of the infinite diversity of tastes in the first instance1 and in the next1 accurate judgment is a matter which depends on the union of so many qualities that it is rare indeed to find two opinions completely alike4 ,nevertheless we do find that there are a few instruments which by universal consent have become the standard of taste4 ,they are the glass of fashion and the mould of form in the violin world4 ,an appeal to these famous violins must therefore be of some service in this inquiry1 which is of very considerable importance1 because its object is to decide what is that tone which confers that immense value which some violins have realised as distinguished from that which possesses only a merit of so inferior a character as to become scarcely valuable in any degree4 ,in other words1 what are the distinguishing characteristics of tone of the violins made by ,nicholas ,amati1 ,antonius ,stradiuarius1 and ,joseph ,guarnerius4 ,these three makers are now the ,raphaels1 the ,titians1 and the ,claudes of the musical world1 and a few thoughts on their works in connection with this subject may help us to a decision on this difficult point1 at least to the great bulk of amateurs4 ,we will divide the inquiry into three heads4 #a4 ,power4 #b4 ,sweetness4 #c4 ,purity4 ,in considering the first point1 power1 the amateur will have to beware of a very possible mistake he may fall into4 ,there is apparent power under the ear1 arising from coarseness4 ,this is a species of power which is observable chiefly by the player4 ,the listener1 especially if at a little distance1 does not hear this power4 ,the tone is clogged and thickened with the resinous particles which have remained in the wood and which perhaps1 from its nature may never leave it altogether1 and the vibration is not therefore perfect4 ,another cause of false power is a certain imperfect build wherein the parts are not properly calculated as in the fine ,cremona productions4 ,these two classes of instruments are very apt to deceive unpractised ears4 ,but a moment's comparison with one of the genuine great masters will show them in a most unmistakable manner the difference4 ,what then is real power8 ,it is simply musical tone1 divested of all adventitious qualities4 ,when tone of this class is heard near1 the effect is charming to the ear4 ,when heard afar off1 it seems to swell out and become magnificent and telling4 ,who that has heard a great player on a fine instrument1 that has not been astonished at the immense quantity of tone which arises from this exceedingly fine quality4 ,and it is in this way that even the small ,amatis1 built when great amount of tone was not wanted and would not have been appreciated1 are still most delightful as solo instruments4 ,its purity and fine quality carry it to a much greater distance and produce a greater effect1 than would arise from larger instruments of less careful build and euphonic qualities4 ,herein is discovered the difference between violins of the three great masters named and others of the same name4 ,if a small ,nicholas ,amati be compared with a large model1 it will be found that the quality is similar1 but the quantity is greater1 and therefore the instrument becomes more valuable4 ,again1 in a ,stradiuarius or ,joseph ,guarnerius of the best period1 which are of the flat model and most accurate build1 we find a pure ringing and deliciously rich quality1 without roughness or coarseness1 that finds its way through everything to a great distance1 even in a crowded concert room4 ,the differences in the three great makers seems to be now decided to consist in fullness of tone and quantity of power4 ,the ,amatis are essentially sweet and vocal4 ,the ,stradiuarius--of similar quality1 greatly increased in body and of a more ringing bell-like character4 ,the ,guarnerius of the best model is even still more powerful4 ,but they all possess that essential purity and richness of tone without which there is no real excellence4 ,on this head we find1 therefore1 that power1 providing it be accompanied by the other essentials of sweetness and purity1 confers on violins the greatest value4 ,a ,nicholas ,amati of the grand pattern--a ,stradiuarius of the large flat model1 or a ,guarnerius of similar characteristics--all of which have been built with the greatest care and attention to the resonant qualities of the wood1 and possess all these essentials--are therefore the instruments that have and will always command the greatest admiration4 ,the next essential point in a good instrument we have to consider is sweetness4 ,this combines characteristics which are not essential to power4 ,a violin may possess the latter without the former4 ,the tone may be of a quality which will tell and carry1 but not of that soft delicious voice like nature which we call sweetness4 ,the most admirable instruments of this characteristic have been variously compared to a flute or to the female voice4 ,the latter is the best comparison4 ,for the brightest examples of this quality alone we must look to the small violins of ,antonius and ,hieronymus1 and also of ,nicholas ,amati4 ,they are of the most delicious quality1 and for solo instruments cannot be excelled4 ,they respond with the most charming effect to the most touching and passionate expression4 ,a great player can really sing on these with such a delightful effect as almost to compensate for the want of speech4 ,the third point is purity of tone4 ,we may be said to have touched upon this already in treating of the other two4 ,but it is necessary to allude to this also1 because it is possible to have purity of tone without sweetness or power4 ,there are many instruments which from age and use have lost all harshness or roughness of tone1 but are still of a thin piercing quality4 ,these may be said to be pure in tone1 but not possessing the other requisites they fail in commanding attention4 ,what we have to look for in a violin is that roundness and fullness of quality which are combined in the term sweetness4 ,tone cannot be said to be sweet which is thin or piercing4 ,it lacks one essential characteristic4 ,it is on this account that in the present day many of the ,steiner instruments have lost favour4 ,there are a few which possess both sweetness and purity1 and they rank with the small ,amatis4 ,but the best of them are wanting in power4 ,this characteristic is only heard in perfection in the ,stradiuarius or the ,guarnerius of ,cremona1 and the great ,brescian makers ,gaspar di ,salo and ,magini4 ,an amateur should look therefore in purchasing an instrument whether it possesses these three characteristics or any or which of them4 ,we have now shown what are the essentials of a fine instrument1 but as the genuine productions of these great masters are mostly in the hands of rich amateurs it is scarcely possible to become the happy possessor of one of the perfect instruments4 ,what then shall we do8 ,the reply is simple4 ,study the characteristics we have described1 and you will find in some of the pupils of the ,amati1 ,stradiuarius1 or ,guarnerius a near approach to this excellence4 ,in fact it is well known that in the scarcity of originals fine examples by the pupils have frequently been sold as the work of the masters themselves4 ,the ,dictionary we have compiled will tell the amateur what names will most probably supply the qualities he desires4 ,care and attention will do the rest4 ,,on ,,the ,,production ,,of ,,good ,,tone ,,in ,,violins4 ,in the preceding chapter we have endeavoured to solve the question what are the qualities that constitute good tone4 ,we now propose to inquire how good tone is provided for in the construction of the violin4 ,we are not about to enter into the scientific question4 ,we wish merely to give to the general amateur a knowledge which is often only acquired after years of patient study and trial of instruments1 by certain general principles which will seldom or never be found to be incorrect in fact1 and then only through instruments being built on false rules in other respects4 ,in good instruments these rules may be said to be infallible4 ,it is a curious fact that ,gaspar di ,salo and ,magini1 both early makers1 started with the principle which has since been brought to the greatest perfection by the ,cremona makers1 and built on the flat model4 ,their instruments are consequently found to possess much of the fine and powerful tone which distinguishes ,stradiuarius and ,guarnerius4 ,the early ,amatis1 in the second place1 built on a higher model1 and their instruments possess a sweet but not powerful tone4 ,steiner1 thirdly1 built on a higher model still1 and his instruments have a thin piercing tone4 ,we can only draw one conclusion from these facts--namely1 that the nearer we approach an entire flat in the model of a violin the fuller1 rounder1 and more powerful the tone2 other points of careful work and good varnish being taken into consideration4 ,this fact has strongly impressed itself on the minds of scientific inquirers1 and the result has been1 as tests of the principle1 the production of flat violins4 ,these have been tried and reported satisfactory in the matter of tone4 ,but there are other points to provide for which a flat box does not allow4 ,to gain the requisite mass of air to produce good tone a flat violin has to be made of a clumsy awkward shape4 ,in the beautiful modelled violin this is provided for in the rise of the back and belly4 ,the ribs may therefore be more or less shallow according to the height of the model1 and yet provide a sufficient space for the necessary amount of air for the production of good tone4 ,we arrive then at this one certain fact1 that the flatter the model of a violin the greater the probability of a good fine tone4 ,it is of such violins therefore that we find the great performers possess themselves4 ,this may be said to be an infallible rule1 and an examination of the instruments of the most celebrated makers fully confirms it4 ,why therefore did the elder ,amati1 contemporary and probably pupil of ,gaspar di ,salo1 change the model and size of the instrument8 ,this inquiry brings us to the second rule for the amateur4 ,there cannot be a doubt that he adopted this plan because the flat model produced a more powerful tone than was then required4 ,he therefore1 no doubt acquainted practically1 if not theoretically1 with the principles of acoustics1 raised his model and decreased his size to provide for the production of that eminently sweet tone which characterises his instruments4 ,the amateur therefore who desires tone of this description1 but does not want power1 will generally find it in the model of medium height1 providing as in all other cases1 the work and the wood are good4 ,of this model are some of the sweetest toned violins to be found1 of which the ,amatis are the type4 ,finally1 many instruments are to be found constructed on ,steiner's plan with very elevated model flat on the centre1 and falling off abruptly towards the sides4 ,these are all contrary to acoustic principles1 and their thin piercing tone is to be ascribed to the want of that harmonious communication of vibration which their peculiar construction inevitably indicates4 ,let1 therefore1 the amateur who wishes to be his own purveyor1 examine1 with these principles impressed on his mind1 whatever instruments he can gain access to and the result will be that he will seldom err in this matter4 ,after this he must study the characteristics of good wood1 careful finish1 and fine varnish4 ,a knowledge of these is best acquired by examining the instruments of the great masters4 ,to go fully into these also is not necessary here1 having already commented on them under their respective heads4 ,one remark is1 however1 necessary here4 ,many people foolishly imagine that any violin may be made to produce as sweet sounds in the hands of a skilful player as a high class instrument4 ,this is a great mistake1 and a convincing proof of its fallacy may be drawn from the fact that all the great soloists play upon high class violins4 ,they do this moreover at a time when they would gladly save the expense were it possible4 ,a few instances may interest the reader4 ,,great ,,players ,,and ,,their ,,instruments4 ,joachim plays upon a ,stradiuarius1 ,vieuxtemps on a ,guarnerius1 ,ole ,bull on a ,guarnerius and an ,amati1 ,de ,beriot on a ,magini1 7of which he had two very splendid examples1 the second being now in the possession of the author17 ,carrodus a ,guarnerius1 and many other living instances4 ,piatti a ,ruggerius violoncello1 ,servais a ,stradiuarius violoncello4 ,past examples may be cited in ,paganini1 who played upon a ,guarnerius1 ,mori a ,guarnerius1 and ,spagnoletti the same4 ,ernst used a ,stradiuarius4 ,dragonetti played on a ,gaspar di ,salo and a ,stradiuarius double bass4 ,,general ,,notes4 ,in the last article1 we have given some general rules for judging of the probable tone of an instrument from its model4 ,a few further remarks on this and other important topics will well supplement what we have said4 #a4--;,accurate judgment in violins can only be obtained by long experience and seeing many instruments1 and if possible those of a high class4 ,there are many little points which to a casual or careless observer are invisible1 but which a practised connoisseur detects immediately1 and thereby is enabled to declare the maker4 ,a difficulty will often present itself to a tyro in the knowledge of violins1 from the family likeness which it is possible to trace1 for example1 between ,amati1 ,stradiuarius and ,bergonzi4 ,these have a general resemblance which indicates the coming from one school4 ,this applies also in many other cases--but every master has some distinct difference which is perceptible to the practised eye4 ,the faces of a flock of sheep are to a stranger all alike2 to the shepherd1 each has its personal individuality4 ,it is the same with violins1 which can be read by the practised student as easily as we know each other by the countenance4 #b4--;,it is erroneous to imagine that ,cremonese instruments can be successfully imitated1 a very popular story about ,paganini's ,guarnerius to the contrary notwithstanding1 as the lawyers say4 ,an attempt to impose an imitation on a practised judge is always productive of an unpleasant result4 ,to fall from the sublime to the ridiculous is especially awkward1 and results in becoming very particularly ridiculous yourself4 ,this must be whenever a modern maker attempts to make an ancient violin4 ,there are practical difficulties impossible now to get over--such as the varnish4 ,the secret of making the grand old varnish is lost1 and therefore whatever is put on by a modern tells the tale and cries aloud to the judge--,this is a cheat6 #c4--;,it is easier to imitate an old painting than an old violin1 though that is difficult enough to a good judge1 but such an insuperable obstacle as the old amber varnish does not puzzle the picture forger4 #d4--;,in choosing an instrument it is better to select one of a flat model1 the sides of medium height1 well proportioned and with good oil varnish4 #e4--,we are inclined to think that all the great instruments of the great makers are well known1 and that there are none lying by unknown to fame4 #f4--,most of the more celebrated instruments are given a name of distinction1 such as the ,yellow ,stradiuarius1 the ,blood ,red ,knight ,guarnerius1 the ,ole ,bull ,guarnerius1 the ,de ,beriot ,magini1 the ,emmeliani ,stradiuarius1 the ,general ,kidd ,stradiuarius ,violoncello1 the ,servais ,stradiuarius ,violoncello1 and others4 ,these can be recognised like the human face4 #g4--,the reason why ,italian instruments are so superior to all others must be ascribed to their exquisite make1 the careful adjustment of the various thicknesses of wood and the varnish1 the secret of which appears gone for ever4 ,perhaps another reason may be named in the wood being so ripe and dry as to permit free vibration4 #h4--,the ,cremonese obtained their colour in oil4 ,the moderns get it only in spirit1 which imparts a hardness to the tone4 ,compare a ,cremona with the ,german and other imitations4 ,can't you hear how perceptible the difference8 ,the former is mellow and rich--the latter flinty and harsh4 ,this arises no doubt from the varnish4 #i4--,the ,cremonese violoncellos were mostly made deeper by half an inch at the bottom than at the upper part4 ,guiseppe fil ,andreae1 ,guarnerius1 ,stradiuarius1 ,landulphus1 and others observed this rule4 ,the tone is said to be greatly improved by it4 #aj4--,some persons think it is very difficult to obtain an ,italian violin at a moderate price4 ,it is not so4 ,there are many whose makers are not known1 and also third class instruments of good qualities1 which can be obtained from ,l#aj to ,l#be4 ,it is better to purchase one of these than a baked copy or a new violin4 ,then again amateurs may resort to the old ,french makers1 some old ,english and the ,tyrolean1 which may be had cheaper still4 #aa4--;,a respectable dealer who is known to be a connoisseur of experience1 will never sell you a modern copy for an old ,italian violin with a long story of how he got it in some wonderful way4 ,his character is at stake4 ,beware of ignorance which assumes the mask of knowledge1 or of designing roguery which apes the appearance of innocence4 #ab4--,the present excellence of the old instruments arises from their having been made thick in wood1 which time has ameliorated and mellowed1 and now permits free vibration4 ,it is much to be deplored that many instruments have not been suffered to remain as the makers left them1 and that others under a false notion of giving an old tone have been made too thin4 #ac4--;,had ,magini1 ,gaspar di ,salo1 and other very old makers used as little wood as some of their successors1 where would their instruments have been now8 ,we are at the present time reaping the benefit of their foresight4 #ad4--,there is evident proof of the deep interest the high class makers took in endeavouring to advance the interests of their art4 ,for example1 ,stradiuarius sometimes put the widest grained wood on the fourth string side1 feeling it was the weakest and needed the open grain4 ,sometimes he put it on the first string side4 ,he was evidently trying experiments4 ,but he mostly adopted the former plan1 no doubt correctly4 ,again1 they made instruments larger at the bottom than at the upper part1 gradually reducing in size and depth1 an experiment which observation has since found to be correct4 ,they also made instruments thicker under the bridge to enable them to bear the great tension to which they are subject1 and many other points showing how perfect they became4 ,they left little for modern ingenuity to discover4 #ae4--,old instruments of character should be greatly prized and carefully preserved1 for it seems probable that there will be no others to take their places1 from many well known causes4 #af4--,makers of the present time have perverted their talents to discover a means of producing the qualities of old instruments in new ones1 an achievement utterly impossible1 as their efforts show4 ,many make instruments with the greatest care1 copying the plans of the old masters--but instead of allowing ,father ,time to ripen them1 they use an acid to dry up the wood1 or bake them4 ,these are known by a peculiar smell which tells the tale1 and they get worse instead of better4 ,again1 they deem it wise to get a colour at any price1 which can only be done in our day by the use of spirit varnish4 ,did they use oil varnish1 our successors would at all events reap the benefit1 if not ourselves4 ,the great masters were willing to wait for fame and tried none of these dodges4 ,others again put the varnish on and rub it off in places to resemble the wear of age4 ,much better would it be to cover the instrument with varnish and leave age to do the rest4 ,such schemes are futile and reflect discredit on those who adopt them4 #ag4--,the peg holes seen in old ,italian violoncellos in the middle of the back are where a peg was put to fasten the instrument round the neck while playing in the ,catholic ,churches4 #ah4--,stradiuarius in his early career frequently cut his wood to form what are called slab backs1 7explained elsewhere17 and sometimes used pear tree for violoncellos4 ,,repairs ,,of ,,instruments4 ,we cannot part with the reader who has thus far accompanied us in our labours1 without making a few remarks on the important subject of repairs4 ,so many fine instruments have been ruined and the beauty of so many more tarnished by the mal-addresse and ignorance of some so-called restorers and repairers1 that we think we shall be serving the admirers of the violin by warning them against entrusting valuable instruments to incompetent hands4 ,a few notes will serve to illustrate the chief subjects for care and some important items in fitting instruments properly4 #a4--,so-called repairs have been frequently so clumsily done1 as to damage old and valuable instruments to an extent impossible to remedy4 #b4--,there are many instances where wood has been taken out of the instrument under the idea of improving the tone4 ,this is a fatal error1 and when the mischief is discovered it is replaced by new wood4 ,others have done the same under another erroneous impression1 that it will give strength to the instrument to enable it to bear the increased pressure caused by the higher pitch used at the present time4 ,whatever the notion1 the result is always bad4 ,the grain of the new wood does not come level with the old1 and causes a sudden check to the vibration4 ,the glue also lying between the old and the new wood deadens the sound4 ,some repairers have been guilty of this practice to a great extent1 and many fine instruments have been thus damaged4 ,let no one under any plea tamper with the thicknesses of wood in a good violin4 #c4--,the sound bar used by the old masters 7as we have before stated7 and others of that period1 was much shorter than is now used1 and consequently all have been changed4 ,the present bar is quite sufficient to bear the increased pressure required in our time1 without resorting to any other means4 ,if an alteration be required an experienced repairer only can know the kind of bar required4 #d4--,the necks of the old instruments were short2 they have therefore to be lengthened if found in their old state4 ,a good repairer will splice a neck in so as to be scarcely perceptible4 ,much of the ease and comfort of playing depends how this is done4 #e4--,the sound post is a very important item in fitting an instrument4 ,there is a marvellous power in this simple contrivance4 ,it should fit as though it were part of the back and belly4 ,an instrument can be frequently cured of a bad description of tone by the slightest move of the post4 ,those subject to what are termed wolfy notes can be remedied or the bad notes shifted to less important ones4 ,it is a mistake to suppose there is a particular place for the sound post in all instruments alike4 ,it depends upon the model of the instrument to a great extent4 ,high models require the post nearer the foot of the bridge than flat models4 ,others require the post thick or thin4 ,the regulating of the post should only be entrusted to the skilled hand1 and we would impress upon amateurs that it is better never to shift the post themselves4 ,many instruments have had the sound holes spoiled and the surface of the wood inside gored by unskilful tampering with the post4 #f4--,the bridge is another very important agent in regulating an instrument4 ,no general rule will serve for this matter4 ,some instruments require the bridge thick1 others thin4 ,some a close grain and others the contrary4 ,the bridge should be fitted as accurately as the post1 and as though it grew from the belly1 the feet touching equally all round4 #g4--,tail pieces are better quite free from ornaments1 which frequently cause the instrument to jar disagreeably4 #h4--,the strings are of great importance4 ,they should be adjusted to be in perfect fifths4 ,this is essential1 otherwise it is impossible to play double notes correctly in tune4 ,it may be done with a little trouble4 ,when the instrument is in tune on the open notes1 place the finger across the strings1 for example1 at ,b on the second string1 and ,f on the first string4 ,if the fifth is imperfect1 tune one string a shade higher1 and try again4 ,if then perfect it requires a smaller string4 ,if not1 tune a shade lower than the perfect open fifth1 if then right when tried as before1 it requires a thicker string4#a #a ,we have seen a little instrument advertised to accomplish this important matter without trouble4 ,,the ,,perfect ,,fifth',s ,,gauge4--,this useful gauge is marked with such precision as to render all strings gauged by it in accordance with each other producing perfect fifths1 enabling the performer to execute passages of double notes with the greatest facility and correctness1 at the same time effecting a considerable saving of time and expense by entirely superseding the old method of obtaining fifths by changing the strings4 ,it is manufactured and sold by ,mr4 ,john ,hart1 #ad1 ,prince's-street1 ,leicester-square1 ,london4 ,,addenda4 ,,larche1 ---- ,brussels1 #ahdg4 ,copyist of old makers4 ,one of those who endeavoured to produce an old tone by the use of acid1 and consequently spoiled the wood4 ,,albanesi1 ---- ,cremona1 #agcg4 ,similar to ,testore of ,milan1 but broad pattern4 ,his instruments have a large tone1 but poor varnish4 ,,gobit1 ---- ,venice1 #agaf4 ,made similar instruments to ,ruggerius1 and used beautiful varnish4 ,,gabrielli1 ---- ,florence1 #agdj4 ,made excellent ,violoncellos1 yellow varnish4 ,written labels4 ,,antoniazzi1 ,,gaetano1 ,cremona1 #ahfj4 ,this maker sent a violin to the ,exhibition of #ahfb1 but is much behind his predecessors4 ,,falco1 ---- ,cremona1 #ageb4 ,made well proportioned instruments4 ,,harris1 ,,charles1 ,london4 ,an admirable workman4 ,his instruments are among the finest of the ,english4 ,,gagliano1 ,,nicholas1 ,naples1 pupil of ,stradiuarius4 ,we have a note 7omitted in its proper place7 that this maker excelled in violoncellos1 many of which are covered with fine rich varnish1 seldom seen on instruments by the ,gagliano family4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in our notice of ,stradiuarius ,violins at page #aac we should have said that ,william ,howard1 ,esq41 of ,sheffield1 possessed two fine examples--one as described and the other of the beautiful red varnish1 the latter formerly the property of the celebrated violinist ,salomon1 for whom ,haydn wrote his twelve grand symphonies4 ,,pearce1 ,,printer1 ,,sheffield4