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

Books › British violin-makers classical and modern; being a biographical and critical dictionary of British makers of the violin from the foundation of the classical school to the end of the nineteenth century, 1904 › scan 121

Scan 121

British violin-makers classical and modern; being a biographical and critical dictionary of British makers of the violin from the foundation of the classical school to the end of the nineteenth century, 1904

18 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.

1Christie's instruments will improve in quality with age and use. Label:—
31892,
4JAMES CHRISTIE,
5VIOLIN-MAKER, DUNDEE
7The date is handwritten.
9CHRISTIE, JOHN, Kincardine-on-Forth. He died about 1859. He made a large number of instruments on the Amati and Stradivari lines. I have seen some two or three of them, and the wood, workmanship, and tone were excellent. The varnish was a spirit one, but was so thinly laid on that it did not do very material harm. If he had used oil varnish of a good quality, his violins would compare very favourably with the best work of the early nineteenth century. No label; but one of the violins had the words "J. Christie, maker, 1850" written across the back.
11CLARK, JAMES, London: 1770-95. He was a pupil of Matthew Furber, and worked in Turmill Street, Clerkenwell. Average work and tone. No label known.
13COLE, JAMES, Manchester; nineteenth century. He was a pupil of William Tarr, and worked afterwards with George Craske. I have not seen any of his work, and cannot pronounce an opinion; but old Tarr did not entertain a very high opinion of his abilities. He used a label in his early work, but later stamped "S. Cole" inside on the back.
15COLE, THOMAS, London: 1670-90. He made lutes and viols chiefly, and it is not certain that he made any violins. One or two tenors of his have been seen, the tone of which was reported to be large and telling. Various labels.
17COLLIER, SAMUEL, London: 1740-60. He worked at "Corelli's Head," London Bridge. I have seen one violin of his make, on the Stainer model, varnished dark yellow, with a small, husky tone.

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