Books › Old Violins And Their Makers, 1883 › scan 136
Scan 136
Old Violins And Their Makers, 1883
4 lines. Read by computer on 30 September 2026. Printed page 122. See the scan on archive.org.
1two jurors were each of the highest rank, or reckoned to be so by the different factions. I think I have also shown, in the course of this book, how startlingly sudden a change may take place in the position of a long-accepted conclusion.
3An mateur would be much wiser to purchase a soundly-constructed instrument of modern manufacture—British, French, German, or Italian—which may be had for a few pounds from many good and respectable makers, than to seek after a genuine old master at the risk of losing much money, and helping to keep up their present ridiculous prices. I allude here to second-rate instruments, for although it comes within the range of possible events that a genuine old "grand" fiddle may, as the result of ignorance, blunder, or theft, find its way unexpectedly into the hands of a seeker after these things, it is pretty well known now, among collectors and those deeply interesting themselves in fiddles, where all, or almost all, the great instruments are, and they cannot be had at present—perhaps never again—without paying the most exorbitant prices. Indeed, most of their present owners—always, of course, excepting the regular dealers—are disinclined to part with their treasures at all in the way of sale. Amateurs may be perfectly certain of one thing—viz., that should they succeed in placing themselves in the hands of an honest and properly qualified modern violin manufacturer, they will get a very good new violin for a tenth or a twentieth part of the price they would pay for an old instrument which the majority of high-class connoisseurs would most likely denominate "trash," and would not thank them for, so to speak, as a gift. One
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