Books › Old violins and violin lore, 1900 › scan 240
Scan 240
Old violins and violin lore, 1900
10 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1DESCRIPTION OF PLATES
3PLATE I
5A Duiffoprugcar viol da Gamba, owned by Mr George Donaldson. This matchless antique is doubtless one of many, but most of the rest have perished; it stands almost alone as a poetic specimen of the phantasy of the old viol makers. It is elaborately decorated on the back, after the taste of the period, with an excess of ornament, which the fine instinct of the subsequent makers of violins rejected as prejudicial to tone. The habit of adopting a creature's head, or a face, for a scroll long lingered, and is not unknown in the work of Stradivarius. In England numerous copies of Duke that have been palmed off as original have lion heads. These instruments were usually "made in Germany," and it appears to have been a favourite practice there to use such carved scrolls.
7PLATE II
9A Maggini violin (the "De Beriot") owned by Mr Antonietti. The Maggini here given is an admirably preserved specimen of the great Brescian master, who, next to Stradiuarius, did more than any one man to inspire and define the ideal shape, from which even the Amati at first departed, but which Strad had the genius to restore and perfect. The corners, however, have been rubbed, and not in every case renewed, otherwise it is in as perfect a condition as can be expected in so old a fiddle. The scroll is cut with a care and an advanced finish which reminds us of the bolder Strad period, 1700-30. Maggini, oddly enough, was little honoured in the first quarter of this century, but De Beriot had the insight to discern his merits; and from the time he adopted him for his masterly and full-toned performances, the Magginis rose, and have been continuing to rise, in public estimation.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.