Books › John Askew, the Stanhope violin maker, 1914 › scan 49
Scan 49
John Askew, the Stanhope violin maker, 1914
6 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 31. See the scan on archive.org.
1appears to have been varnished with Whitelaw's varnish. Whitelaw's varnish, was discovered in a very odd way as described in Mr. W. C. Honeyman's book on "Scottish Violin Makers," p. 98, and is quoted in Mr. M. Morris's book on "British Violin Makers" p. 228.
3It was put on the market in 1888 and is called Cremona Amber Oil Varnish. Askew's exhibition violins in 1885 and 1887 appear to have been oil-varnished but the violins after 1888 might have Whitelaw's varnish. This varnish is highly spoken of, and Askew would not miss the opportunity if he considered it better than his own.
5To attempt to copy the great Master Antonio Stradivari, our local fiddle maker must have had a good heart, but such was his perseverance and belief in his own ability that he kept to his work and such was his success that he won Diplomas at Exhibitions. One of the old bandsmen who knew his brother bandsman well, informed the writer in a letter at the beginning of the year 1913 that Askew succeeded so well with his work that "he decided to send some of his violins to South Kensington International Exhibition
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