Scan 89
The violin: its famous makers and their imitators, 1875
6 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 49. See the scan on archive.org.
1Violins possess a charming sweetness. The sound-hole is inelegant, has not the decision of Gaspard di Salo, although belonging to his style, and is usually broad. The instruments of Andrew Amati are of various sizes, but the majority of them are small, and thus admirably fitted for the use of young violinists. His varnish may be described as deep golden, of good quality. His method of cutting his material was not uniform, but he seems to have had a preference for cutting his backs in slab form, according to the example set for the most part by the Brescian makers. The sides were also made in a similar manner, the wood used being both sycamore and that known to makers as pear tree. The instruments of Andrew Amati are now very scarce. Among the famous instruments of this maker were twenty-four violins (twelve large and twelve small pattern), six tenors, and eight basses made for Charles IX., which were kept in the Chapel Royal, Versailles, until October, 1790, when they disappeared. These were probably the finest instruments by Andreas Amati. On the backs were painted the arms of France and other devices, with the motto, "Pietate et Justitia." He died about 1580.
3AMATI, Nicholas, Cremona, brother of Andrew. Very little is known of this maker's instruments. The few met with are inferior to those of Andrew.
5AMATI, Antonius and Hieronymus, sons of Andrew Amati, Cremona, 1570—1635. Anthony was born in 1550. The date of Jerome's birth is
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