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 224
Scan 224
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
18 lines. Read by computer on 19 September 2026. Printed page 198. See the scan on archive.org.
1genteel-looking man, examined it carefully and said he was not interested as it was not a genuine one. The man thereupon swore roundly and vociferously at him reasserting the authenticity. Mr. White simply stamped his foot and exclaimed, "You're an ass!" 18
3Ira J. White was the first Boston maker of wound violin strings. His machine, the first made in Boston for that purpose, 19 is now in the possession of John A. Gould. That Asa Warren White also wound violin strings is shown by the fact that he advertised "G" strings "my own make." 20
5Ira E. White, the oldest son of Ira J. White, was born in Boston April 20, 1830. For about fifty years (1860 to around 1908) he carried on musical instrument work in all its branches, making violins, basses, guitars, harps and drums. 21-22 He repaired these instruments being practically the only repairer of harps in his earlier days, and also repaired concertinas and melodeons. He was located during his business career at such various addresses as [address hidden] in 1870, [address hidden] in 1890, [address hidden] in 1900, [address hidden] in 1905 and [address hidden] in 1908.
7Probably the first really noted violin maker in Boston was George Gemünder, 23 who came here in 1847 from Württemberg, Germany. Violins made during his Boston residence at [address hidden] won medals at the London World's Fair held in 1851. He was especially successful in his models, finish and varnishing, and his instruments have often been mistaken for Cremonas. One of the most valuable discoveries made by him was how to acquire results with natural woods not chemically treated. 24 After a few years in Boston he went to New York.
9Jerome Bonaparte Squier, called by violin teachers the Stradivarius of America, was another noted Boston violin maker. He was listed in Boston business directories from 1886 to 1906 at [address hidden] as J. B. Squier or J. Bonaparte Squier & Co. Later his shop was on [address hidden] for a time and then at his home, [address hidden], Roxbury. He was born in Ohio in 1838, and was originally a shoe pattern designer. Mr. Squier came from Michigan to Lewis-
1118 Incident related by Trefflé Gervais, violin maker.
1219 Statement of John A. Gould.
1320 The Apollo February-March 1883 inside of front cover.
1421 Howe, William H. The Violinist's Guide. Early American Violin Makers p. 18.
1522 For his drum-making locations see Appendix IV Drum Makers p. 273.
1623 See also p. 228.
1724 American History and Encyclopaedia p. 334.
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