Books › The reminiscences of a fiddle dealer, 1925 › scan 74
Scan 74
The reminiscences of a fiddle dealer, 1925
6 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 50. See the scan on archive.org.
1CHAPTER IX
3A MASTERPIECE BY VUILLAUME
5It was not long before the acquaintance thus formed, ripened into friendship, and many an interesting discussion we had together. M. Vuillaume who was quite as enragé on the subject of fiddles as I, was quite delighted to meet a kindred spirit. Among other things we discussed was this same varnish of his. It was more like a paint than a varnish, very delicate and easily peeled, when exposed even to a mild heat. I have seen it curl up like brown paper when near, although not really close to, a fire. Now and then he had a superior quality which was only used on special instruments and this was generally, although not invariably, magnificent in its suppleness, purity, and colour. It had no resemblance to that which he ordinarily used, being a decided varnish and very like that on some of the best of the beautiful Petrus Guarnerius instruments. I have seen a similar varnish on a few of the violins of J. B. Ruggieri of Brescia, most of which had no purfling, not even an imitation purfling made by a pen on their backs.
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