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

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Scan 84

A dictionary of violin makers, 1896

34 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 76. See the scan on archive.org.

1with small sound-holes; the scroll also small but well cut; the varnish very fine, its colour a yellow-brown tinged with red; the tone, clear and penetrating. He also made some fine tenors, the workmanship good, although the purfling is sometimes defective. His instruments show ability and talent, and are greatly valued; they have many of the characteristics of German work, and differ greatly from the work of the old English viol makers. In Thomas Britton's collection of instruments was an "extraordinary Rayman" and also "three others ditto." Labels: "Jacob Rayman dwelling in Blackman Street, Long-Southwark, 1641," and "Jacob Rayman, at ye Bell Yard in Southwarke, London, 1648."
3Razenzo, Carole. A maker in Barcelona about 1690.
5Realli, Cosmo Battista. A maker in Parma in 1667. In a little pocket violin of very narrow pattern, with brown varnish, was the label: "Cosmo Battista Realli in Parma, 1667."
7Rechiardini, Giovanni (called "Zuano"). Was working in Venice in the 18th century.
9Regnaut (Renault), Jacques. A maker in Paris, 1665-85. A little pocket violin, with silver purfling, was dated 1682; in another little pocket violin was the label: "Jacques Regnaut à Paris, 1666." He succeeded Nicolas Renault as maker to the King.
11Reichel, Johann Conrad, brother of Johann Gottfried. Was working in Neukirchen in 1779.
13Reichel, Johann Gottfried, brother of Johann Conrad. Was a maker in Absam. He was a pupil of Stainer and copied his pattern, but his work is rough, and he used red-brown varnish of poor quality. Label: "Johann Gottfried Reichel . . . arfunden von Jacob Stainer in Apsam."
15Remy. A French maker who left Paris to settle in London about 1840. He made on the Italian pattern; but his violins have not, it is said, gained in quality of tone with age, possibly owing to his method of artificially maturing his wood before using it.
17Remy, Hippolyte, eldest son of Jean Mathurin Remy. Was working about 1835-70 in Paris. He made some violins of no great merit.
19Remy, Jean Mathurin, son of Mathurin François Remy; b. 1770, Paris; d. 1854. His work was of much the same merit and type as his father's. He used oil varnish. He removed from rue Tiquetonne to 30, rue de Grenelle-Saint-Honoré, about 1817, and remained there for thirty-seven years. His two sons were both violin makers.
21Remy, Jules Hippolyte, second son of Jean Mathurin Remy; b. 1813, Paris; d. 1876. He carried on a business at 60, faubourg St.-Denis.
23Remy, Mathurin François. A maker in Paris, first in the rue Sainte-Marguerite-Saint-Antoine about 1760, and then in rue Tiquetonne, 1775-91. He made instruments similar to those of Guersan and Gaviniès, with yellow-brown varnish.
25Renaudin, Léopold, b. 1749, at Mirecourt; guillotined, May 7, 1795. He settled in Paris, living in the rue St.-Honoré from 1776 till his death, at the sign of "Aux amateurs." He made fairly good instruments, but they are too much arched, the scroll is badly cut, and the varnish is ugly, almost black in colour; he made excellent double-basses, several of these, however, were destroyed by the fire at the Opera House in 1873. A violoncello is known made from a bass-viol. In an alto was the label: "'Aux amateurs.' Renaudin, luthier, fait toutes sortes d'instruments, rue Saint-Honoré près l'Opéra, 1783"; in another alto was the label: "Léopold Renaudin (the address illegible), année 1789."
27Renault, Jacques. See "Regnaut."
29Renault, Nicolas. A French maker about the end of the 16th century. Is said to have been a pupil of Tywersus (a maker in Nancy), and afterwards to have worked in Paris.
31Renault, Sébastien. A maker in Paris about 1775 to 1805, living in the rue de Braque. Cithers of his are known dated 1779, 1786, and 1804; a violin is described as made on a good pattern, with yellow varnish of fair quality. He was in partnership with F. Chatelain for some time, he then used the labels: "Renault et Chatelain rue de Braque au coin de la rue St.-Avoye à Paris, 1797," and "A la renommée, rue de Braque, au marais, Renault et Chatelain, luthiers, font et vendent louent, achètent et raccommodent toutes sortes d'instruments de musique, etc., à Paris."
33Renisto. A maker in Cremona about 1735-40. Pupil of Carlo Bergonzi, whose work he copied rather closely; but his instruments are more arched,

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