Scan 79
The violin: its famous makers and their imitators, 1884
11 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 31. See the scan on archive.org.
1technically known as a "whole back;" secondly the back in two parts; thirdly, the cutting known as the "slab back." There being considerable doubt as to the mode of dividing the timber, the woodcuts given will assist the reader to understand it. Fig. 1 represents the cutting for the back in two pieces—the piece which is separated from the log is divided. Fig. 2 shows the method adopted to obtain the slab form.
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4(no line here) one of two readings
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8This mode of cutting is constantly met with in the works of the Brescian makers, and likewise in those of the early Cremonese. Andrew Amati invariably adopted this form. Stradivari rarely cut his wood slab-form. Joseph Guarneri made a few Violins of his best epoch with this cutting, the varnish on which is of an exquisite orange colour, so transparent that the curls of the wood beneath resemble richly illuminated clouds.
10There can be no doubt whatever that the Cremonese and Brescian artists were exceedingly choice in the selection of their material, and their discrimination in this particular does not appear to have arisen so much from a regard to the beauty as to the
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