Bow & Bridge

Fendt, François

As printed

  1. A dictionary of violin makers (1896)

    Fendt, François, best known in France as Fent. A German maker who settled in Paris and was living there “cul-de-sac, St.-Pierre, rue Montmartre,” …

    scan page 36, line 3See the scan

    Read the transcript line

    This is what the software read off the scan, not the page itself. The cited line is marked, and three lines either side are shown for context.

    scan page 36, line 3

    1. Fendt, Francis, fourth son of Bernhard Fendt. Pupil of his eldest brother, Bernhard Simon. Worked for some time for the firm of Purdy and Fendt. In 1856 he was residing in Liverpool, gaining a very precarious living.
    3. Fendt, François, best known in France as Fent. A German maker who settled in Paris and was living there "cul-de-sac, St.-Pierre, rue Montmartre," about 1763-91. In his time he had the reputation of being one of the cleverest makers in Paris; he carefully studied Italian instruments, particularly those of Ant. Stradivari; he used a beautiful red-brown oil varnish which, with the progress of time, has become almost black; his instruments are also much worm-eaten, but have a rich tone. His label, "Fait par Fent, maître luthier, rue Montmartre, cul-de-sac Saint-Pierre à Paris," was found in a violin which might be mistaken for a most beautiful Italian instrument; the dimensions are exactly the same as those of a violin of Ant. Stradivari; the work is carefully finished, the wood excellent, and the tone very good, the original neck and scroll are still in place. An alto has also been seen and a violin, dated 1774, repaired by Delannoy, of Lille, in 1828.
    5. Fendt, Jacob, third son of Bernhard Fendt; b. about 1815, in London; d. about Oct., 1849, in Blue Anchor Court, Whitecross Street, Finsbury. Pupil of his eldest brother, Bernhard Simon. Was employed occasionally by W. Davis, of Coventry Street, and also by Turner, a dealer in violins. He was almost the best maker among the sons of Bernhard, his copies of Italian, especially of Stradivari instruments, are very fine, the work being beautifully finished; unluckily he considered it necessary to give them the appearance of age and usage.

  2. A dictionary of violin makers (n.d.)

    Fendt, François, best known in France as Fent. A German maker who settled in Paris and was living there “cul-de-sac St.-Pierre, rue Montmartre,” …

    scan page 38, line 3See the scans: 38, 38source record

    Read the transcript line

    This is what the software read off the scan, not the page itself. The cited line is marked, and three lines either side are shown for context.

    scan page 38, line 3

    1. Fendt, Francis, fourth son of Bernhard Fendt. Pupil of his eldest brother, Bernhard Simon. Worked for some time for the firm of Purdy and Fendt. In 1856 he was residing in Liverpool, gaining a very precarious living.
    3. Fendt, François, best known in France as Fent. A German maker who settled in Paris and was living there "cul-de-sac St.-Pierre, rue Montmartre," about 1763-91. In his time he had the reputation of being one of the cleverest makers in Paris; he carefully studied Italian instruments, particularly those of Ant. Stradivari; he used a beautiful red-brown oil varnish which, with the progress of time, has become almost black; his instruments are also much worm-eaten, but have a rich tone. His label, "Fait par Fent, maître luthier, rue Montmartre, cul-de-sac Saint-Pierre, à Paris," was found in a violin which might be mistaken for a most beautiful Italian instrument; the dimensions are exactly the same as those of a violin of Ant. Stradivari; the work is carefully finished, the wood excellent, and the tone very good, the original neck and scroll are still in place. An alto has also been seen and a violin, dated 1774, repaired by Delannoy, of Lille, in 1828.
    5. Fendt, Jacob, third son of Bernhard Fendt; b. about 1815, in London; d. about Oct., 1849, in Blue Anchor Court, Whitecross Street, Finsbury. Pupil of his eldest brother, Bernhard Simon. Was employed occasionally by W. Davis, of Coventry Street, and also by Turner, a dealer in violins. He was almost the best maker among the sons of Bernhard, his copies of Italian, especially of Stradivari instruments, are very fine, the work being beautifully finished; unluckily he considered it necessary to give them the appearance of age and usage.

Named in 2 books, all printed 1896. Read by software from scans of those pages, not yet checked by a person against the page. Entries from 2 books stand under this name, and the software judged them near-certain the same person. Tell us if that is wrong and we will split the record.

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Details and sources

Record note

Nothing on this site confirms this record beyond what one or more sources state, and that is the whole basis for it: A dictionary of violin makers (1890); A dictionary of violin makers (1890); A dictionary of violin makers (1896). Entries from 2 books stand under this name, and the software judged them near-certain the same person. Tell us if that is wrong and we will split the record. No claim beyond that has been invented here, which leaves the record not established; tell us if you can change that.

What the books say

Places and dates of work
Fendt, François, best known in France as Fent. A German maker who settled in Paris and was living there “cul-de-sac St.-Pierre, rue Montmartre,” … reported1
Places and dates of work
Fendt, François, best known in France as Fent. A German maker who settled in Paris and was living there “cul-de-sac St.-Pierre, rue Montmartre,” … reported1
Places and dates of work
Fendt, François, best known in France as Fent. A German maker who settled in Paris and was living there “cul-de-sac, St.-Pierre, rue Montmartre,” … reported1

How the pages were read

3 of the 3 lines here were read from machine text (software that turns a photo of a page into words), not by a person looking at the page image. 1 of them rests on a section heading above a list of names, not on a trade word printed on its own line: “A DICTIONARY OF VIOLIN MAKERS.”.

Notes

  1. Read from machine text (software that turns a photo of a page into words, or a typed transcription), not by a person looking at the page image. ↩

The books behind this record

This record draws on 2 sources. Each is listed below with how it was read, because a claim read from a photo of the page is stronger than one read from machine text.

  1. Stainer, C. (Cecie), 1867-1937, A dictionary of violin makers (London: Novello, n.d.). archive.org, dictionaryofviol00stai. https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofviol00stai.machine textcited for 1 linesource record

    scan page 38, line 3

  2. Stainer, C. (Cecie), 1867-1937, A dictionary of violin makers (London: Novello, n.d.). archive.org, dictionaryofviol1899stai. https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofviol1899stai.machine textcited for 1 linesource record

    scan page 38, line 3

  3. Stainer, C. (Cecie), 1867-1937, A dictionary of violin makers (London ; New York: Novello, Ewer, 1896). archive.org, dictionaryofviol00stai_0. https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofviol00stai_0.machine textcited for 1 linesource record

    scan page 36, line 3