Bow & Bridge Violin and bow makers, as the old books printed them

Books › A dictionary of violin makers › scan 33

Scan 33

A dictionary of violin makers

22 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 23. See the scan on archive.org.

1Strand, London, about 1750-90. His instruments, made on the Stainer model, are very inferior. Labels known are dated 1750, 1754, and 1790.
2Dickeson (Dickson), John. Born in Stirling, but worked both in London and Cambridge, about 1750-1780. There are instruments dating from both places. He followed the Amati pattern and his work was excellent.
3Didelin, Joseph. A maker in Nancy about 1765-75, at the sign "de la Guitare des Dames de France." The few instruments known of his are inferior. An alto is dated 1775.
4Didier. See "Nicolas."
5Didion, Gabriel. A maker at Mirecourt, d. 1881.
6Dieffopruchar (Tieffenbrücker), Magno. Worked in Venice about 1580-1621. One of the last lute makers of the great family of which Gaspard Duiffoprugcar was the head. Magno was of Bavarian descent, and his German name, Tieffenbrücker, became italianised into Dieffopruchar or Dieffoprukhar. His lutes were always much valued; one of the earliest, made about 1580 in Venice, with a back beautifully inlaid with ivory and various woods, has a label, much defaced, but interesting as still bearing his German name, "Magnus Tieffenbrucker." A theorbo was labelled: "Magno Tieffopruchar a Venetia, 1610." An arch-lute has the label "Magno Tieffoprucar a Venetia, 1607," and was found in Castle Eisenberg, Bohemia, in the collection of Prince Lobkowitz. A guitar was labelled: "Magno Dieffopruchar Venezia, 1606." A beautiful arch-lute has a large label: "Magno Dieffopruchar a Venetia, 1608." The same date is in a lute in the Bologna Collection. A similar label, dated 1610, with the label of the restorer, Jacob Rauch, below, was found in an arch-lute. A similar label, dated 1612, is in a lute in the Bologna Collection, and one dated 1620 in a lute in the Berlin "Hochschule für Musik" Collection; in the Berlin Collection is also a mandoline signed "Magnus Dieffenbruger, 1621." A theorbo in the Museum Modena in Vienna has the undated label: "Magno Dieffopruchar a Venetia."
7Diehl (or Diel as it was originally spelt), Friedrich, son of Nicolaus Diehl; b. 1814. Worked in Darmstadt. Was awarded a bronze medal at the Paris Exhibition, 1867. Died 1888.
8Diehl (Diel), Heinrich, a son of Johann Diehl. Was also a maker.
9Diehl (Diel), Jacob, son of Nicolaus Diehl, d. 1873. Established himself as a maker in Bremen in 1834, later moved to Hamburg.
10Diehl (Diel), Johann, a brother of Nicolaus Diehl. Was a maker in Mayence.
11Diehl (probably always spelt Diel), Martin. A maker in Mayence in the 18th century. His father-in-law, Nicolaus Döpfer, was his first master; later he worked with Carl Helmer of Prague. His work was not good.
12Diehl (Diel) Nicolaus, b. 1779; d. 1851. Son of Martin Diehl, to whose business he succeeded. First worked with his uncle, Jacob Steininger, of Frankfort.
13Diehl (Diel), Nicolaus Louis, d. 1876. Was a son of Jacob Diehl, and worked in Hamburg. He published a work on Italian violin makers, entitled: "Die Geigenmacher der alten italienischen Schule" (Hamburg, 1864).
14Dieulafait. A viol maker, working in Paris in 1720, this date, with his name, being in a 17th century bass-viol that he had restored. It is now in the Paris Conservatoire Collection.
15Dini, Giambattista. A maker in Lucignano in 1707.
16Ditton. A maker in London about 1700. In Thomas Britton's Collection was a "good violin by Ditton."
17Dodd, Edward, b. 1705, Sheffield; d. 1810, London, at the age of 105. He was the first bow maker of this name and did a great deal towards improving the English bow. He lived in Salisbury Court, [address hidden], where he died, and was buried in St. Bride's Church.
18Dodd, James, second son of Edward. Also made bows.
19Dodd, James, son of James Dodd, sen. Was a good bow maker.
20Dodd, John, eldest son of Edward Dodd; b. 1752, Stirling; d. Oct. 4, 1839, in Richmond Workhouse; was buried at Kew. He was first a gun-lock fitter, then a money-scale maker, and finally found his true vocation in making bows. They are made of magnificent wood and the work is so beautiful that he is known as "The English Tourte"; their only defect is that they are sometimes too short. He would never take pupils, preferring to keep secret his method of cutting the wood, and refused to reveal it for a bribe of £1,000, although he was often in great poverty.
21Dodd, Thomas, third son of Edward Dodd. Was first a brewer, then a

Makers on this page

The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.