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BY. Fy. Ws . A sketch of the history of the violin would be incomplete without some men tion of Jacob Steiner the great Tycolese maker. Formerly his violins were more highly prized than at present. He build his instruments with a very high model, and the tone was in consequence sharp and piercing compared with the best Italian violins. Late in life he entered a convent, and while there constricted sixteen violins with his utmost skill. These were called the “Elector violins” on account of his presenting one of then to each of the twelve Electors and the remaining four to the King. Only three or four of the Elector violins now re main. Very may of all those good old violins by Steamers and the Gremona makers have been ruined by burning and ignorant repairers, who have thought to improve them by thinning the wood and making other foolish alterations. Having briefly sketched the progress of the violin from its early days to the period of its highest development I will not attempt to follow its history from Guarnerius down, but will close this series by giving some account of its pre sent condition. The production and sale of violins in creases year by year. Instruments of all degress of value are in demand. If you take the trouble to notice you will find that almost every house contains a violin. To supply these requires a very large pro duction. Vuillanme of Paris continues to make violins of prepared wood that sell well. Then in the vicinity of the village of Markneukirchen, in Saxony, a great many private families are engaged in mak ing a middle class of violins. They do not all make complete violins, but one family makes the necks; another family makes the tops, another the breaks, etc, while still others finish or put the violins’ together. Most of the instruments sold at the stores are made in this way. Bes ides these there are in almost all the great cities of Europe and America mak ers who, like old Stradivarins, work alone and strive to make a better class of instru ments. An acquaintance with these men’ is valuable and interesting. In New York there are several such makers, the most noted of whom in George Gemuen der. Working quietly away in his little’ shop he produces violins which sell for $309 to 8500, when new. he is giver to thought and reflection, and is a most skillful repairer as well as maker. After you have gradually made his acquaint ance he will show you many curious things; pieces of very old woods, deal from a church door in Europe two hund red years old; imitations of old violins which it puzzles you to distinguish from the genuine; the manner of covering strings with copper and silver wire, etc. But the very latest and most remarkable feature in violin making is the enterprise of Mr. John F. Stratton, who has within a few years built a large factory at Leip zig in Saxony, where he makes violins by machinery driven by steam. He was formerly a professional musician playing the violin, cornet and other instruments. After a time he became a merchant in musical merchandise, and from observing the need a cheap violin with a tolerable musical tone he was led to study whether a machine’ might not be constructed which should carve out the top and back of a violin to the proper thicknesses, and so that the thicknesses at the var ious points could be varied so as to’make violins of exactly the same proportions as the best Cremona instruments. After studying the matter a long time a and spending some $40,000, he succeeded in inventing such a machine and perfecting it so that it is now turning out violins in great numbers. The work in his factory is done mostly by girls, who do the vur nishing and finishing very nicely. His violins are very cheap, but the tone is really smoother, stronger and more musi cal than the price would lead you to ex pect. Whether Mr. Stafton will succeed in making violins of so good a quality as to compete with the Italian instrument remains to be seen.
Newspaper Details
Stroudsburg Jeffersonian
Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, US
Thu, Jun 06, 1872
Page 1
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Clipped by
Matthias T.
DE 14 Sep 2026
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