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Scan 50
British Violin Makers, 1920
8 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 30. See the scan on archive.org.
1ence of it goes, it is more successful in the lighter than it is in the darker shades.
3(4) Harris' varnish, made by Mr. J. E. Harris, violin maker, 37 Nile street, Gateshead-on-Tyne. It is made, I believe, in all the usual shades, and is said to be of good quality. A number of makers have used it with good results.
5(5) Walker's varnish. Made by Mr. John Walker, violin maker, 8 Broomfields, Solihull, Birmingham. It is soft, elastic, and transparent. I have tried it in the golden orange colour, which was very beautiful when laid on, but the colour had slightly faded in a year's time. No doubt I had exposed the varnish too much to the direct rays of the sun. It may be remarked here that varnish makers generally claim that their colours are lasting, but nearly all varnishes, I think, fade a little in the direct light and heat of the sun. This was a failing of even the otherwise perfect Italian varnish. Charles Reade, in his second letter on A Lost Art Revived, first published in the Pall-Mall Gazette, August 24, 1872, observes that "the sun will take all the colour out of that maker's [Stradivari's] varnish," and he knew more about the Italian varnish than anybody ever did, barring Luigi Tarisio.
7I dare say there are many more amber varnishes on the market, but I think I have named most of the better known ones. Professional violin makers for the most part eschew amber varnish—at least the market article—and use varnish of their own make, but I cannot help thinking that it would be more to the interest of their art if a goodly number
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