Books › Old violins and violin lore, 1900 › scan 128
Scan 128
Old violins and violin lore, 1900
16 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1VIOLINS IN ENGLAND
3high model, moderate tone, with quite splendid varnish. "Peter Walmsley, at Ye Golden Harp in Piccadilly," good copyist of Stainer and an excellent maker, we are bound to notice on account of his early date and more solid reputation.
5"Barak Norman" worked and sold fiddles at St. Paul's Churchyard (1683–1740). His label runs thus, with a ✚ and crown above it, similar to the labels of Del Gesù, some of which he may have seen: "Barak Norman and Nathaniel Cross, at the Bass Viol in S. Paul's Churchyard, London, fecit 1702."
7Mr. Walter Brooksbank of Windermere had one of the Cross viol da gamba, in which, after the style of the early bell founders, the instrument is supposed thus to speak for itself. "Nathaniel Cross wrought my back and belly" (the scroll and sides being by Barak Norman).
9Meares, about whom little to speak of is known, except that he was probably a pupil of Rayman's, is reputed to have taught Barak Norman.
11Meares is known to have adopted the Brescian model. He was probably the earliest English maker of violoncellos. He retains some of the decorative use of purfling, which rapidly went out as the new violins came in. He runs his purfling into his monogram with attendant flourishes. Meares made at first chiefly viols, after that tenors of excellent quality.
13His violins are much esteemed. He was a close copyist of Maggini.
15Three of his viols were exhibited in the South
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