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Scan 220
Old Violins And Their Makers, 1883
2 lines. Read by computer on 1 October 2026. Printed page 206. See the scan on archive.org.
1employed in constructing viols, such as "William Addison, in Long Alley, over against Moor fields, 1670," as a ticket in one of his instruments intimates. "Christopher Wise, in Half Moon Alley, without Bishopsgate, London, 1656," is another maker of this stamp, of whom little is known, except that the few violins by him which have been seen are of good outline, quality, and varnish, have something of an Italian look about them, and are of a flattish model. "John Shaw, att the Goulden harp and Hoboy, nere the Maypole in the Strand, 1656," is the ticket of another. and in the Kensington Museum there was shown a viola by "John Strong, Somerset, 16—." There was in the possession of a gentleman, residing near Sheffield, a tenor, bearing a ticket which ran, "Made 1690, by Thomas Cole, of London, on Holborn Hill, who selleth all sorts of Musical Instruments." There was also one Hircutt, of whom nothing is known, and among the London tradesmen's tokens in the Corporation Library at the Guildhall, there is one bearing the inscription, "JOHN SPICER. IN CROWN COURT," with a crown in the field and, on the reverse, "IN RUSSELL STREET, 1667—HIS HALF PENY," with the device of a lute. This Spicer was probably a lute and viol maker, but he is not mentioned by any writer on the subject, and this token seems to be the only trace of him that is left. It might be supposed that a lute and viol maker had little occasion for tokens, but in those days small copper was so scarce, that not long before this date the London tradesmen were obliged to use the halfpennies of Scotland, and what were called "galley halfpennies." and subsequently, French liards,
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