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 136
Scan 136
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
9 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1skilfully. It ranges in colour from golden amber to deep golden red, and it is rich and transparent. He regarded it as a secret, and was very careful to let no one see him mix or apply it. The ingredients, however, were only the well-known principal gums of the day, mixed in better proportions and more correctly than was customary then. Indeed, most of the varnishes of the early part of last century were hard, inelastic spirit varnishes, and Dodd's oil mixture showed to great advantage by contrast with them. Instruments bearing Dodd's label are of various models: Stradivari, Guarneri, Amati, Stainer, &c., and are of uniform excellence as regards workmanship and tone. I tried one of them quite recently, which was on the grand Strad pattern, with a beautiful scroll, but with sound-holes which were a sort of compromise between those of Strad and Joseph. The back was cut on the slab, and the maple had a broad "flame," which seemed to curl and burn up the varnish with every movement, as if fanned by a breeze inside the instrument. The tone was not so large as one would naturally expect from the dimensions of the violin, but it was firm, free, and mellow.
3Dodd has been severely criticised by some writers respecting his rather exuberant confidence in his varnish. But what maker is there that has not overweening confidence in his own varnish? I have not yet come across one maker, be he a first- or fifth-rate, who does not think his varnish the best. Dodd had the courage of his convictions, and that is about all that he is guilty of. Hart says that Dodd gained such reputation in his lifetime that he was able to command from £40 to £50 for a violoncello. This is remarkable, and the more so when we consider that they do not fetch much more in our own times. Dodd 'cellos have been knocked down at public auction for £32, £34 10s., and £35 as recently as 1897. His violins, when in fine condition, realise proportionately high prices. Labels:—
5(1)
6T. DODD,
7VIOLIN, VIOLONCELLO, AND BOW MAKER,
8NEW STREET, COVENT GARDEN
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