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HISTORICAL WOODJoseph Collingwood of This City Has Bare Collection.USED FOR MANUFACTURING VIOLINSSome Orer 350 Years Old—Ittr. Collins* wood Boasta a Decidedly Ancient Ancestry and 111 rase 1C Promises to Become Famous.Joseph Collingwood, a manufacturer Of violins, on East. Main Btreet, has unquestionably the most valuable collection of old wood of any other person in the city. Many of his collections are valuable on account of their age alone, and a few are prized for their historic association with some building of note.Among tho collection is a piece of taken from the Old Southchurch in Boston. It is over 200 years old. J. B. Squire, of Boston, took the wood from the building last May while 1 a part of it was being torn away for a street. He gave it to Mr. Collingwood, * who. sonic day, will make it up into a high sounding and an equally high- * priced instrument, which will* have a I history as soon as it is completed.Mr. Collingwood has some pieces of ' wood taken from buildings in Salem, * Mass., which are over 100 years old. He also has some Italian red deal that has J passed the century mark in age. These he has in sufficient sizes to be used in the manufacture of instruments. In the form of a genuine relie, however, lie possesses a small piece of wood over 350 years old, it having been taken from u pillar in a temple of Vienna.Mr. Collingwood lias been termed the “Stnidivarius of today and it is not at all improbable that Ottumwa may some day boast the home of one of the greatest violin manufacturers in the world. Mr. Collingwood does not play the in- : strument himself, but seems to possess a natural ability whereby he is en- ■ abled to construct an instrument with proper proportions to bring out the ; greatest harmony. Everything he ‘ makes is on original plans and according to the laws of acoustics.lie has in his shop at present an instrument valued at $150 which lie is making for Mr. Ben nick, of the Cramer Dry Plato Co. The top of the vio- , lin is of red (leal and the instrument | is being made for a fancy collection , which Mr. Bennick has been making during the past few years. -Mr. Col- i llngwood said the instrument is in re- ■ ality worth twice the price which Mr. Bennick’will pay for it. It is eomplet- : ed except being varnished, and even now judges of violins who liave heard it, pronounce it one of the finest they over heard. 'Joseph Collingwood is an Englishman by birth, and boasts a distinguished ancient ancestry. He has a photograph of Baron Cuthbert Collingwood who took command of the English navy, following Lord Nelson, and is a relative of the Ottumwa Collingwood. Mr. Col-lingwood’s grnndfather manufactured violins in London, in 1700. The former lias been engaged in the business for the past twelve years at Avery, where he has been making his profession a study, he having recently moved to Ot- lt;tumwa.A postoffice 2ms been established at Clutier, Tama county and another at f ltider, Polk county._ (
Newspaper Details
Ottumwa Semi Weekly Courier
Ottumwa, Iowa, US
Thu, Jun 21, 1900
Page 7
Full Page
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Anonymous
USA 06 Mar 2024
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