Scan 125
Joseph Guarnerius, his work and his master [Andreas Gisalberti], 1906
8 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 77. See the scan on archive.org.
1is owing to the bad habits and rough treatment of non-mechanical people who will persist in meddling with work that ought to be attended to solely by experienced hands. The violin being somewhat out of order, the interior is supposed to be in need of examination if not of repair; all the same it is opened very frequently in the most haphazard or ruffianly manner, with the result that both upper table and ribs at the part of attachment are torn about in different directions, and then to make matters worse, the surfaces are planed down so as to fit better, as is supposed. So often is evidence present of this process having been gone through that very few indeed of the violins in supposed almost pristine condition have their original full height of ribs.
3With regard to the varnish, there is some slight indication of an effort at enrichment of the material in use; the low toned yellow—assuming it to have been generally used by Joseph in his early days—though of this we cannot be quite sure—is succeeded by a warm brown, very thinly laid in most parts, especially about the upper table. It is more thickly or roughly laid about the head and parts of the ribs and lower table; where it is so, the surface is frizzled, as is the case with so many of the softly varnished instruments of the Italian masters.
5The quality is more oily in general appearance than the yellow of former years; it may, however, be only a little different from the other in consequence of a slight change in the preparation before application. The under coating is clear, and of apparently the ordinary Cremonese material used at the time, serving well the purpose, among others, of keeping the upper film of varnish, which is more charged with colour, from sinking and marring the clear view of the fibres. The frizzled appearance of the varnish in the least handled parts of the instrument may be the result of dryness, perhaps combined with warmth, that has contracted the upper portion more rapidly than the lower.
7There is much yet to be learnt concerning the different ways of drying or ageing of varnish under various con-
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.