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

Books › A treatise on the structure and preservation of the violin and all other bow-instruments; together with an account of the most celebrated makers, and of the genuine characteristics of their instruments;, 1860 › scan 46

Scan 46

A treatise on the structure and preservation of the violin and all other bow-instruments; together with an account of the most celebrated makers, and of the genuine characteristics of their instruments;, 1860

7 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 24. See the scan on archive.org.

1model to those of Nicholas Amati, as well as in the cutting of the \( f \)-holes, and have the same deep yellow amber varnish. These, as well as the violins of Ruggerio and Albani*, differ so little from each other, that it is extremely difficult to give an exact description of them.
3The violins of Jacob Steiner, of Apsam, differ from the Cremonese both in general appearance and in tone. They have a higher model, and their proportions of thickness are calculated quite differently†. Perhaps the most accurate comparison which can be drawn between the two, is, that the tone of a Cremonese violin resembles that of a clarinet, whilst the tone of a Steiner is similar to that of a flute. The belly is modelled higher than the back; and the height of the belly where the bridge stands is equally maintained for half the length of the instrument to the lower or broad part [under the tail-piece], where it then diminishes down to the end edge. The breadth of this raised part is about the same as that of the bridge itself, and then it falls off towards the edges. The model is precisely similar towards the neck, and on the broad part [beneath the finger board]. The edges are very strong and round, and the purfling, which is narrower than in the Cremonese (in which it is very broad), lies rather nearer the edges than in those instruments. The \( f \)-holes, which are rather shorter than in the Cremonese instruments, are beauti-
5* These are probably the makers intended by the Author, though their names are spelt Rutgeri and Alwany by him.—Tr.
6† In the 1828 edition, Otto observes that Steiner made his instruments of three sizes, a large size, a medium, and a small.—Tr.

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