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Scan 45
A dictionary of violin makers
14 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 35. See the scan on archive.org.
1ordinary size, but having five strings. The firm was awarded the silver medal at the 1867 Exhibition; in 1878 they exhibited a double quartet, which was reported on as being of great beauty, harmonious proportions, careful workmanship, with red varnish like that of Lupot, excellent tone, everything showing a skilled maker; they were awarded the gold medal. Label: "Gand et Bernardel Fres, luthiers de la musique de l'Empereur et du Conservatoire, No. —. Paris, 18—." Eugène was made Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur (Oct. 20, 1878). He was appointed a member of the jury at the Exhibition of Amsterdam, 1883; Rouen, 1884; Antwerp, 1885; Havre, 1887; Barcelona, 1888; and of Paris, 1889, when he was made Officier de la Légion d'honneur (Oct. 29, 1889). He also received the following orders and honours: Nicham Iftichar, Oct. 20, 1885; order of Leopold of Belgium, Feb. 1, 1886; of Isabelle la Catholique, March 18, 1889; and "les palmes académiques," Dec. 29, 1888.
3Gand, Guillaume, second son of Charles Michel Gand, b. July 22, 1792, Paris; d. May 31, 1858, Versailles. Was a pupil of Nicolas Lupot. Succeeded to his father's business at Versailles in 1820. His instruments are similar in work to those of Lupot, they are much liked, and always fetch a good price.
5Garani (Garana), Michelangelo. A maker in Bologna about 1680 to 1720. He followed the pattern of Stradivari; his violas were particularly well made, but his instruments, though of sweet tone and careful work, have little value commercially.
7Garani, Nicola. Worked in Naples about 1700. Made fair instruments on the Gagliano pattern; used plain wood and yellow varnish.
9Garenghi, Guiseppe. Worked in Brescia, 1857.
11Gaspan. A viol maker of early date.
13Gasparo da Salò, son of Francesco Bertolotti, b. 1542, probably in Salò, a small town in Brescia on the shores of Lake Garda; d. April 14, 1609. One of the earliest of the great makers in Brescia, and probably among the first to give the violin the form afterwards definitely adopted by the Italian makers; he certainly assisted in the transformation of the ancient viol-form into that of the violin. His violins have more of an historical than practical or artistic interest; the pattern is primitive, and one must realise the early date of his work to appreciate its merit in spite of its imperfections; for it is not to be compared with that of G. P. Maggini, who came soon after him (1580-1632). He was famed for his viols, bass-viols, and tenor-viols; his bass-viols have generally been re-mounted as double-basses; one, admirable for the equality of its tone, belonged to Dragonetti, who refused £800 for it, and bequeathed it to Venice; another, with four strings, is in the Paris Conservatoire Collection; also a little bass-viol, of rather clumsy workmanship with very dark varnish. About 1570 this form of his work varied a good deal; the lower plate is quite flat and the upper plate arched, whilst the upper part, instead of having the round form of the violin, sinks on each side, similarly to a viol; the tone is strong. His tenors were unquestionably his best instruments; one that was exhibited in London in 1872 was sold in 1894 for £81; the varnish was a beautiful golden-yellow; true four-stringed tenors, made with only two corners, a very primitive form, exist, but are very rare. The violoncello, with a head with four pegs, was made in Italy from about 1520, but the first authentic specimens date from Gasparo, and are extremely rare. Only about ten viols, viols da gamba, and other instruments are known, and of really authentic violins only six or seven, which are much prized, chiefly because of their rarity. They are made on a longer and more arched pattern than the Cremona instruments (his viols are generally on a flat model); the sound-hole is straight, long, pointed, and widely opened; the centre bouts often short and shallow; the scroll rough; the wood well chosen (pear wood and sycamore wood are often used), the grain of the bellies usually very regular and even; the varnish sometimes rich brown (probably darkened with age), sometimes very clear brown-amber colour; penetrating, strong tone; the corners not very prominent and much rounded; the purfling generally single; the workmanship heavy and not highly finished. This pattern was partially revived by Giuseppe Guarneri (1686-1745), owing, doubtless, to its great tone-producing capacity. The celebrated violin that belonged to Ole Bull was made of light wood, with rich varnish, paler in colour than usual; it had a beautifully carved head. Another violin, which belonged to Dr. Forster, is
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