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

Books › Catalogue of old master violins; added to which is a short historical sketch of the various violin schools, and a list of the principal makers, including an article upon violin construction and repairing, also a list of choice music for the violin, 1900 › scan 23

Scan 23

Catalogue of old master violins; added to which is a short historical sketch of the various violin schools, and a list of the principal makers, including an article upon violin construction and repairing, also a list of choice music for the violin, 1900

8 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 19. See the scan on archive.org.

1the bridge form an even angle. To save a good bridge, cut one or two extra notches for pulling up the E strings.
3The bridge ought to be tried with the sound-post, in different positions, to find out where it sounds best; if the violin is a valuable one, and the player is desirous of having it arranged in the best possible manner, several bridges, cut slightly different in height and width, ought to be tried, the best retained, and then only ought the fingerboard be adjusted according to the bridge, after which it must be tried again to see whether it sounds as well, as the slightest difference of place will affect the sound. Whoever says that the proper places can be determined by the eye alone is wrong.
5I have found that repairers do not give that important consideration to bridge and post which is necessary, and from the remarks of some learned that they could not know much about it.
7I heard an instrument maker say to a gentleman who came to have a new bridge put on a violin that he had the exact model of Signor Sivori's bridge, and would make him a similar one; such and the like expressions are absurd; every violin must have a bridge fitted according to its construction, and there are hardly two violins alike. It is true that many players come to instrument makers asking how much will a bridge cost, and are not inclined to give more than about 50 cents; then nothing else can be expected than one put on quickly if it is a worthless

The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.