Scan 196
Joseph Guarnerius, his work and his master [Andreas Gisalberti], 1906
12 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 128. See the scan on archive.org.
1same lines as his former master, with contentment and as much ease as circumstances allowed.
3Assuming there is good ground for the supposition of outside influence, we will look around for a possible, or consistent, source.
5We have no knowledge whatever of the exact spot in Cremona where the young liutaro, Joseph Guarnerius, first commenced business as a master. It is within the limits of possibility that when Gisalberti left Cremona for Parma—he was working at Parma in 1716—his young pupil and follower may have continued the business with the same style of work on the premises vacated by his master.
7If this was really the case, he may have continued working industriously at many designs which are lost to us through the accidents of usage and other causes.
9The position of "the house of Guarneri," which it may be assumed was that of "the great Joseph," is well known to people of the present day; it formed a portion of the block of houses in which were included those of the Stradivaris, Bergonzis, Ruggieris and the Amatis. It was nearly at the corner, and in a line with the first two. Joseph Guarnerius was therefore, in the latter half of his working career, in the heart of the centre of violin making at Cremona, and which had by that time been established for over a century.
11I think it will be readily granted that there is very little likelihood of the young Joseph opening new premises and commencing business at such a spot at once after leaving Gisalberti. This would have been a very bold proceeding, such as could only be equalled by a young man of the present day, immediately after the termination of his apprenticeship in some outer portion of London, starting on his own account within a door or two of one of the largest and oldest established firms in the heart of the city. If we concede that there may be some possibility of the sort at present for a novice with plenty of capital at his back, there was still less in the times we are talking of. On the other hand, if we
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