Books › the history of the violin, 1864 › scan 321
Scan 321
the history of the violin, 1864
7 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. Printed page 299. See the scan on archive.org.
1essential assistance and advancement to him in the art. He always felt pleasure in stating that his first real success in life was through Colonel West.
3Between the years 1762 and 1782 his skill and exertions had been rewarded, and he had become a music-seller and publisher; he had also changed his residence. Sometime during the above period a different label had been used in the instruments, particularly the violoncellos, and it bears evidence of being part of a title-page of some work published by him, which probably had not been successful; he therefore used the name as a label, which is in a written character, with some ornamental engraving cut through, that is neither useful, nor, in this particular, any embellishment. In those instruments where this label is used, it will generally be found that the name William Forster, in the Roman letter, is placed also on the inside of the short bouts, just above the lining which is attached to the sides and the back. It is the same printing taken off the label used in 1762, as will be readily seen by the ornamental flourishes corresponding and now cut through. At what time he first was honoured by working for royalty we are unable to state, as the account-books before the 14th November, 1773, have either been destroyed or lost; and those books which still exist were kept imperfectly. However, there is proof of his living in St. Martin's Lane in 1781, and he may have moved to 348, Strand, in 1784-5. The following copy of a label or card will show he had this high patronage before changing his residence to the more public thoroughfare; and it also shows that the varnish he used had become celebrated and specially referred to:
5"William Forster
6Violin, Voloncello, Tenor & Bow-maker
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