Books › Old violins, 1905 › scan 240
Scan 240
Old violins, 1905
14 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 218. See the scan on archive.org.
1It was made by Bernhardt Fendt, and I gave in the Pall Mall Gazette of the period its history and the names of its chief owners; but it was not removed, neither was the Amati tenor (No. 147), labelled and hung as Maggini, ever re-labelled, nor was a Klotz fiddle which bore a Stainer label ever corrected.
3The only fraud I succeeded in dislodging was a spurious Bergonzi—also sent up by Mr J. W. Joyce—which after my attack on the South Kensington collection of 1872 disappeared.
5The poor thing, no worse than the Bernhardt Fendt which brazened it out like a false claimant, was merely made a scapegoat of.
7These be among the humours of your loan collections!
9But we must be indulgent. Some mistakes are sure to be made, but it is only fair to remember that the fiddle world is vastly indebted to these grand fiddle exhibitions all the same. The exhibition of 1885 at South Kensington was not one whit less important than the 1872 show.
11The 1885 specimens were more discreetly selected than those of 1872. They had the advantage of being largely controlled by Mr Hill.
13Besides the usual supply of leading Italian makers, the English school was remarkably well represented. There was found a capital Ford, a maker who has not received due credit for his excellent work. A good Duke and Walmsley, and a yellow fiddle by Tobin, a man quite noticeable for the cut of his scrolls, which are always full of character.
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