Bow & Bridge Violin and bow makers, as the old books printed them

Books › the history of the violin, 1864 › scan 227

Scan 227

the history of the violin, 1864

4 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. Printed page 205. See the scan on archive.org.

1about 1635. There were some instruments made for Henry IV. with the names of the brothers, and Mons Cartier had one of these, which are of the greatest rarity and value, it was dated 1595. The model was of the largest size, and the purfling of tortoise-shell, the oil varnish of rich golden amber colour, which is one of the characteristics of the Amatis. The back was decorated with the arms of France and Navarre, surrounded by the insignia of the orders of Saint Michel and the Saint Esprit above the crown of France, with many other devices.
3The instruments made when the brothers worked together were of handsome form, and richly varnished, but generally small. The lower plate usually made of finely figured maple, of a deep brownish red colour, the alternate stripes being of a rich orange buff, the variation of colour arising from the medullary rays crossing the fibres of the wood. The upper plate made of fine grained deal, and the scroll rich and elegant. The quality of tone is much like that of the other instruments of the family; and it may be observed in respect to these, that they often do not appear strong when the hearer is near to them, yet are heard with great distinctness and effect at some distance. Dr. Forster says he had a beautiful instrument with a ticket, which he gives thus, but the letter h in Anthonius seems to be an error: "Anthonius et Hieronymus Amati, Cremonen, Andreæ, fil. A. 1624." Tickets are found of many makers, with a blank space for the last figure or two to be added when attached to an instrument; like the following, for instance, from "Luthomonographie," "Antonius Hieronymus Amati Cremonen, Andrae filii, 16 . ." Hill mentions the following ticket in an instrument formerly belonging to Dragonetti: "Antonius & Hieronymus Amati, Cre-

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