Books › British Violin Makers: A Biographical Dictionary of British Makers of Stringed Instruments and Bows and a Critical Description of Their Work, 1920 › scan 251
Scan 251
British Violin Makers: A Biographical Dictionary of British Makers of Stringed Instruments and Bows and a Critical Description of Their Work, 1920
11 lines. Read by computer on 29 August 2026. Printed page 205. See the scan on archive.org.
1of the waves, he muses and carves and fashions his fiddles. Morgan is a "character" of an old-world type, with a mind steeped in ancient lore, and a memory packed with reminiscences and quaint anecdote. The old ruins are to him a palace, and fiddle making a golden dream. He has made about a hundred violins, some of which are on the Stradivari and Guarneri models, but the majority on that of Alessandro Gagliano, with the arch slightly reduced. The workmanship is characterised by masculine strength and a kind of pleasing ruggedness rather than by delicacy and finesse. The remarkable thing about his work is the fine tone he obtains. All his instruments that I have tried have a large, brilliant, and sonorous tone. There is no mistaking its quality—it is such as we always associate with the name "Italian." When time and use have had their mellowing effect upon it, nothing better will be desired—nothing better will be possible.
3Facsimile label:
5WILLIAM MORGAN,
6Dunnottar Castle.
8MOORE, ANTHONY JOHN, Sunderland: contemporary. An artist by profession, who has taken up violin making as a hobby. I have not seen any of his recent work, but some of his instruments are said to have a beautiful tone.
10MORRIS, J., BATH: nineteenth century. I know nothing of him or his work. A violin of his make was sold
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