Books › Fiddle frauds and how to detect them, 1894 › scan 13
Scan 13
Fiddle frauds and how to detect them, 1894
8 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1which they are produced, which I shall presently proceed to do.
2 But let us first look a little deeper into the matter.
3 If we consider that at the present time the enormous number of 40,000 violins is annually sent into the market from Markneukirchen in Saxony alone, not to mention those coming from Bavaria, Bohemia, and France, with their large factories, it will easily be understood that artistic construction in the manufacture of such goods is out of the question.
4 As to Italy, the art of violin-making in that country is at a very low ebb; even imitating, though much carried on, is of a very inferior order, as may be clearly seen by looking at the price lists of modern Italian makers and dealers. Here is a specimen of their quotations: "Violino copia Bergonzi, 25 francs; ditto, all'antico, 30 francs;" etc.
5 Surely this conclusively proves that the place of origin of an article is in itself alone no criterion of its quality, but that skill exhibited and success achieved form the only sound basis of judgment.
6 Taking all these things into consideration, it admits of no doubt that an enormous number of spurious old instruments have been brought into the market and foisted upon the unwary, many of whom have thought it in the end desirable to condone the deception (taking a lesson from Lessings' parable of the three rings) rather than expose themselves to ridicule for having been so egregiously gulled. And how many people, being great admirers of old instruments, do not think they really possess a genuine Straduarius, Guarnerius, Amati, or whatever the name of the great maker may be, when, after all, they have but a more or less good imitation?
7 Some curious stories might be told in regard to
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