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

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Scan 54

A dictionary of violin makers

36 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 44. See the scan on archive.org.

1Guerrero, Juan. Working in Malaga in the 18th century. In a guitar is the label: "Juan Guerrero me fecit en Malaga en el ano de 175—."
3Guersan, Louis. A maker in Paris about 1730-69; was living in rue de la Comédie-Française in 1760, and in rue des [address hidden] in 1769. Was one of a family whose members for more than a century had been violin makers; he himself was one of the best French makers of his period. Pupil and successor of Claude Pierray. When he left the latter's workshop he made various experiments in altering the arching, the thicknesses, &c., using spirit varnish on his instruments; the result, however, was not good, the tone produced being harsh and shrill. He was appointed maker to the Dauphin and to the Opera; in the archives of the latter is a quaint memorandum of repairs done by him to the double-bass of the Opera, which proves that at this date (1749) there was only one double-bass in the orchestra. He made many instruments, and they fetch good prices. Made on a small pattern, the proportions, depth of the sides and thicknesses vary continually, especially in the violoncellos; the alcoholic varnish is hard and dry, either a pale yellow or rose colour; its great drawback is that it dries too quickly and paralyses the vibrations, doing a great deal of harm to the tone; the work is beautifully finished. A viola of middle size, with the back in two parts and a brownish-red varnish, is known. Several five-stringed viols of his are in the Collection of the Paris Conservatoire; two are dated 1747, one 1751, and one 1755. Two six-stringed viols are dated 1755 and 1763. A treble-viol, in beautiful preservation, with pale yellow varnish, and of very careful workmanship, is dated 1752. A handsome violin is dated 1737, another 1744, and another 1766. Two violoncellos were dated 1740. Labels: "Louis Guersan près la Comédie-Française à Paris, 1730," and "Ludovicus Guersan, prope comœdiam gallicam, Lutetiæ, 1766."
5Gugemmos (Guggemos). A maker in Füssen, Bavaria, in the 18th century. His work was poor and he used varnish of bad quality.
7Guglielmi, Gio. Battista. A maker in Cremona, 1747.
9Guidantus, Joannes Florenus. A maker in Bologna about 1685 to 1728. Was possibly a pupil of Nicola Amati. He was an excellent workman, his instruments look well, are on a high model, with long sound-holes; but the purfling is carelessly done and the tone is rather poor. A viola d'amore, exhibited at Milan in 1881, ornamented with a beautiful head, artistically carved, representing a blindfolded Cupid, was labelled: "Joannes Guidantus fecit Bononiae, anno 1715." Another label was: "Joannes Florenus Guidantus fecit Bononiae, 1724." A viola da gamba was dated 1728. See "Florenus."
11Guidomini, Lorenzo. In Milan, 1740.
13Guillami. A Spanish family of violin makers who worked about 1680-1780.
15Guillaume. A guitar of his is dated 1789. A François Guillaume, a maker of harps in Paris, was working in rue de l'Université, 1783-86; and in the rue de Beaune, 1788-89.
17Guiton, R., of Cork; clever maker.
19Gusetto, Nicola. Worked in Florence, 1730. Was later in Cremona.
21Gutermann. A maker of good instruments in Vienna in the 19th century.
23H.
25Haensel, Johann Anton. Was maker and chamber musician to the Duke of Schönburg, at Rochsburg, about 1800-15. In Jan., 1811, he published an article in the Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung (Leipzig), called "Ueber den Bau der Violine," in which he described a new form for the violin, which he said he had invented as early as 1801. The invention did not live.
27Haff. A maker in Augsburg in the 19th century.
29Hamberger, Joseph. A celebrated maker in Pressburg, Hungary; he died 1868. His son also worked in Pressburg; he died in 1891. Another son is a maker in Vienna.
31Hamm, Johann Gottfried. A German maker who worked 1780-1810. Instruments are known, with ivory edges, in which his name is branded.
33Hammig, W. H., b. 1838. A maker in Leipzig, who turns out good instruments.
35Harbour or Harbur. A maker who lived in 1785 at [address hidden], Lincoln's Inn, London; in 1786, at Southampton Buildings, Holborn.

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