Bow & Bridge Violin and bow makers, as the old books printed them

Books › Notice of Anthony Stradivari, the celebrated violin-maker, known by the name of Stradivarius:, 1864 › scan 88

Scan 88

Notice of Anthony Stradivari, the celebrated violin-maker, known by the name of Stradivarius:, 1864

8 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 66. See the scan on archive.org.

1impairs the clearness of the sound; the delicacy and finish of the work progressively decrease, and the varnish is brown. There seems also to have been a falling off in the manufacture; for we meet with proportionably fewer instruments of this period than of the preceding.
3In 1730, and even somewhat earlier, the impress of the master almost entirely disappeared. A practised eye discovers that the instruments have been made by less able hands. He himself signed many of them as having been made simply under his direction: "sub disciplina Stradivarii." In others we recognize the hand of Charles Bergonzi, and of the sons of Stradivarius, Omobono and Francesco. After the death of this celebrated man, many instruments which remained unfinished in his workshop were completed by his sons. The greater number bear his name on the printed label, and hence arises the uncertainty and confusion in regard to the products of the latter times.
5Stradivarius made but few altos, all of which are of a large size. Their quality of tone is extremely beautiful, being penetrating, noble, and sympathetic.
7The violoncellos of his make are more numerous: in them we notice the same progressive steps towards perfection of workmanship and admirable finish, as in the violins. These instruments are of two dimensions: the one large, to which the name of bass was formerly given; the other smaller, which is the violoncello proper. To the first of these categories belongs the bass of M. Servais, Professor at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, and a virtuoso whose renown is European. The tone of this fine instrument has an extraordinary power, united

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