Books › Ayars, Contributions to the Art of Music in America by the Music Industries of Boston (1937) — the Squier, Farley, Rettberg, Rockwell and Elias Howe matter, 1937 › scan 222
Scan 222
Ayars, Contributions to the Art of Music in America by the Music Industries of Boston (1937) — the Squier, Farley, Rettberg, Rockwell and Elias Howe matter, 1937
15 lines. Read by computer on 19 September 2026. Printed page 196. See the scan on archive.org.
1Both Whites were fine workmen, having been wood workers before they made violins and some violas. They had no training in violin making other than their studies of instruments by the old makers whom they used as their models.10
3The elder brother, Ira J. "was borne in Barre, Massachusetts, July 9, 1813."11 He was in business from around 1835 to about 1890 probably.12 One instrument was made by him in 1844 from wood of the Lexington Street Church Communion Table and from wood of the old Chauncy Street Church. In 1847-48 he was in partnership with James Henry White13 under the firm name I. J. & J. H. White at [address hidden] Then he and his brother Asa Warren were in business together as I. J. & A. W. White 1849-52 at [address hidden] and as White Brothers 1853-63 at [address hidden] When they had the Tremont Temple Music Store they advertised "Importers of Musical Instruments, French, German & Italian Strings of the Best Quality, Foreign Instrumental & Vocal Music, Solos, Duos, Trios, Quartuors, Orchestra and CHOIR MUSIC. Instruments Made, Repaired, Tuned, Bought, Sold or Exchanged."14 After 1863 Ira J. was in business alone first in Malden then in Melrose.
5"In the early part of his career he [Ira Johnson] used his own model, but in 1851 he bought a Stradiuarius for $1,000 which he copied. In 1864 he again made a change of model this time from the Stradiuarius to the Nicholas Amati form; these two models he used the rest of his life. His long study and fine work placed him at the head of the early American violin makers. Ira J. White received three medals from the Massachusetts Mechanics' Fair."11 He used to get $150 apiece for his instruments, while Asa Warren sold his for $75 or $100.10 Ira J. White died in December 1895.
7"Asa Warren White was born in Barre, Massachusetts in 1826. He worked in his young days for Henry Prentiss15 [dealer and publisher], with a violin maker named Giradol, a quick workman, who worked on all forms of stringed instruments. In 1849 Ira J. and A. W. White formed a partnership and worked together repairing and making different instruments. Asa Warren made his in-
910 Statement of Edmund F. Bryant, who made his first violin while working for Ira J. White.
1011 Howe, William H. The Violinist's Guide. Early American Violin Makers p. 18.
1112 Statement of A. J. Oettinger and Edmund F. Bryant.
1213 See Appendix IV Violin & Bow Makers p. 263.
1314 Boston Directory 1861, Advertising Section p. 85.
1415 See p. 11.
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