Scan 50
Joseph Guarnerius, his work and his master [Andreas Gisalberti], 1906
14 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 20. See the scan on archive.org.
1ing over it carefully for some time, I said to the owner, "That is very extraordinary, I have just come into possession of a violin which may be called an actual replica of this."
3"Very likely," was the rejoinder, "I have seen others out in Italy also very like them."
5"But mine is in excellent preservation, and I am sure the ticket, from surrounding evidence, has never been disturbed; it has another name, a written one, not printed like yours."
7"Just what I should expect," was the reply, "and I tell you the current story in Italy concerning the two names, which will account for the difference. In the first place, the two names belong to one man; this will account for identicalness in the general appearance, model, and workmanship. Andreas Gisalberti's early work is more carefully executed than his later. It is said the labours of his early period did not bring him in satisfactory remuneration. This may have been the cause of his removal to Parma. Rumour has it that he was a man of some uncertainty in his habits, and being of versatile powers, combined the profession of ballet master (in the evening probably) and violin maker. The manner in which he conducted himself in the ballet master department was such that he acquired the nickname of 'the little ballet saint.' Whether sarcastically meant history does not relate. Being once known by that title, smallness or greatness being thrust upon him, it appears to have settled there, and was accepted by him as the name by which he was to be henceforth popularly known."
9It may here be remarked that the nickname appears to have been given to him at Rimini, certainly after his removal there in 1717 from Bozzolo.
11It will be seen by the second and third tickets that he had removed to Rimini, which is about eighteen miles north of Pesaro, where, if my hypothesis is correct, he received his first tuition, and that he spent the remainder of his days in his old home of Rimini.
13Some of his tickets are here reproduced:—
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.