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Scan 12
A dictionary of violin makers
20 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1about 1650-80. Is said to have been a pupil of Nicola Amati at Cremona. His instruments are made on a large pattern with good varnish. A violin known is dated 1659. A son of his continued making violins till 1720.
3Alberti, Ferdinando. A maker in Milan, 1740-60. His instruments are fairly well made and varnished bright yellow. Label: "Ferdinando Alberti, fece in Milano, nella contrada del pesce al segno della Corona, nell' anno 1743."
5Alberto, Pietro. A celebrated maker of lutes in Bologna, 1598. The label, "Petrus Albertus, faciebat B——," was found in a large mandora made of maple wood, beautifully grained, with fine varnish, brown colour, the neck inlaid with ivory.
7Aldred. A maker in London, whose viols were celebrated in the 17th century. Speaking of viols, in his book "Musick's Monument" (published 1676), Mace adds, "Of such there are no better in the world, than those of Aldred, Jay, Smith, &c."
9Aldric. Worked in Paris, 1788-1840. Was well known for the excellent instruments he made, on the Stradivari pattern, of fine tone, with rich red varnish. He also constructed altos from old Italian viols with great cleverness and carefully repaired old instruments. An early violoncello of his is dated 1788. In another violoncello was the label, "Fait par Aldric, luthier, rue des Arcis, 16, Paris, 1792." Later he moved to [address hidden], Saint-Germain, where, in 1840, his nephew Aubry succeeded him. Label: "Rue de Seine, 71, près celle de Bussy, Aldric, luthier à Paris, an. 18——."
11Alessandro, called "Il Veneziano," a maker in Venice about 1540.
13Aletzie, Paul. A maker in Munich, 1710-36. Is best known for his tenors and violoncellos. His instruments show careful work, but the sound-holes are too small, and the brown varnish is of poor quality. In a beautiful viola d'amore was the label: "Paulus Aletzie Hof Lauten und Geigenmacher in München, 1726." Two similar labels are dated 1710 and 1720.
15Allard, François. A maker in Paris from 1776 to 1783, in the place Maubert, then (1788-89) at [address hidden] of his instruments are known.
17Alvani. A maker in Cremona in 1750, who followed the Guarneri pattern.
19Amati, Andrea, b. about 1525, at Cremona; d. soon after the death of his second wife, Angiola de Migli (d. April 10, 1611). Was descended from an ancient and noble family of Cremona, dating back as far as 1097. Was the founder of the great Cremona school of violin making, which includes such names as the Guarneri, Ruggeri, Bergonzi, and Stradivari. At first made the older form of violin—the viola da gamba—but gradually developed the modern violin pattern, aided, no doubt, by seeing instruments made by the older school of Brescia. While instruments of Gasparo da Salò and Gio. Paolo Maggini are still in good preservation, violins known to be the genuine work of Andrea are greatly damaged and badly restored, which makes it difficult to form correct opinions about them. They differ greatly from the Brescia pattern in arching, form, colour and transparency of varnish, but retain the stiff upright Brescian sound-hole. The whole instrument became simplified in Andrea's hands; if, as is sometimes supposed, he was a pupil of either Gasparo da Salò or Maggini, or even worked as a pupil in Brescia, he advanced far beyond them, and shows great originality in his work. Another suggested "master" of Andrea is Giammaria del Busseto, who was probably trained in the Brescian school, although he constructed his instruments on different principles. Andrea's violins are small or "three-quarter" size, the outline extremely graceful, the belly and back high, strongly arched towards the centre; the wood, carefully selected, especially for the belly, was generally sycamore or pear-tree; the scroll beautifully carved, purfling very neat, and corners carefully worked; the sound-holes resemble those of Maggini and are usually too broad; the varnish of good quality, but a little thick, varies from clear or yellow-brown to a beautiful amber colour; the clear and silvery tone, though very sweet, lacks power, possibly because of the small size and high arching of the instrument, the fourth string being particularly weak. But at that time the strength of tone demanded at the present day was neither expected nor required. In 1878 two violins were sold for £20 and £25 respectively, but the price now varies from £50 to £150 or more, according to condition and tone. His violoncellos, some of the earliest made in Italy, are very rare; the varnish is dark reddish-brown
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