RAAB, ANTON
Worked at Schönbach, 1860. Died 1898.

RAAB, HANS
Born 1855. Worked at Vienna and Salzburg. Settled at Munich, 1885. Died 1912. Constructed a few ordinary violins but had a greater reputation for guitars.

RAAB, KÁROLY
Established at Zombor (Jugoslavia), 1885-1926. Good violins and ’cellos, and especially fascinating productions of the national tamburitzas.
------------------------------------
Jávitotta
Raab Károly
mühegedü - készitö. Zombor
-----------------------------------

RABAGLIETTI, ANTONIO
Worked at Verona (Italy), 1650-1655. Lutes, viols and violins.

RABINGER, JACOB
Worked at Budapest, Vienna and Kiev. Died 1876. Made many fine bows, very popular in Hungary and Russia. Stamped “J. Rabinger”.

RABINOVITCH
Worked at Melbourne (Australia), 1896-1912. Born in Russia. Trained in Germany and France. Finely constructed instruments. Rich Victoria plum shade of varnish. Produced about 200 instruments including violins and ’cellos.
---------------
Rabinovitch
Luthier
Melbourne
---------------
Sometimes the word “maker” in place of “Luthier”.

RABOURDIN, C.
Established at La Rochelle (France), 1927. Little known.

RACCERIS, NICOLÒ Worked at Mantua (Italy), 1670-1710. Supposed to have been in partnership with one of the Gaglianos. Best instruments belong to the Gagliano model. Modelling well conceived and workmanship rather neat. Also Stradivarian style instruments but of smaller proportions. Dark red varnish of fair transparency. Tonal quality disappointing in clearness if not in sweetness. £120, 1960.
----------------------------
Nicholas Racceris fecit
Mantua, 16-
----------------------------
Name sometimes seen in violins of Tyrolese style. Dates also falsely played with, varying from 1720 to 1725.

RACCOMODES
Italian for “repaired” and not a violin maker as a few insignificant books infer.

RACHÊTE, FRANÇOIS
Little known regarding this French maker.
----------------------
François Rachête
année 1762
----------------------

RÁCZ, LORAND
Born at Budapest 1913. Worked for Vedral and for Krumbholz at The Hague. Succeeded the latter, 1944. Won diploma of honour 1949. Strad and Guarnerian modelling, transparent red or brown on golden base, varnish.

RACZINSKY, .LÁNOS
Born 1887. Worked at Budapest 1926. Conscientious workman who turned out quite refined violins.

RADCLIFFE, A. H.
Amateur at Liverpool, 1924. Stradivarian modelling indifferently conceived. Heavy looking structure, purfling most unsatisfactory, thick and cloudy brown varnish.

RADECK, JOHANN
Worked at Vienna, 1778-1803. Model often bordering on that of Amati, but achieves no very great conquest. Arching rather follows the impulse of the Tyrolese style, something between medium and high. Judiciously exercised skill in workmanship, though not especially refined. Scroll has considerable fertility of fancy. There is little deficiency of grace about the sound-holes; purfling not much above the tyro standard. Belly wood often of wide and strong grain, and prettily flamed material for back. Yellow-brown varnish, thickly applied, and fairly seductive in appearance. Tonal quality rather full, but without mature sweetness. £50 (1930).
------------------------------------
Johannes Radeck, bürgerl:
Lauten und Geigenmacher in
Wien. 1793
------------------------------------
---------------------------------
Johann Radeck, bürgerl:
Lauten und Geigenmacher
fecit, Vienne, 1783
---------------------------------
Some labels give the name as “Radek”.

RADEL, PHILIPPE
Bow maker at Mirecourt, 1760-1780.

RADRIZZANI, ALESSANDRO
Born at Milan 1864. Violinist and conductor at Tour de Peitz (near Vevey), 1900. Fairly good instruments.

RADRIZZANI, ANGELO
Born at Milan 1870. Pupil of Bisiach. Brother of the above. Worked at Vevey 1898. Gold medallist. Assisted by son Carlo. Good workmanship. £80, 1960.

RAE, JOHN
Born at Macduff (Scotland) 1843. Grandson of John Rae of Forglen (celebrated for bagpipes, 1767-1857). Worked at cabinet making etc. in 15th year. Secured employment at Edinburgh and attended evening classes for mathematics and drawing, 1867. Returned to his home at Netherland 1869 owing to a serious breakdown in health, and made first steps in violin structure, mainly to test a particular theory of relationship between proportionate form and musical sounds. Regained normal health 1872, and ventured on going south to London, with ambitions of setting up as a violin maker. Found it very unprofitable, and sought other means of livelihood, but managed to satisfy his art cravings by attending lectures on acoustics at the South Kensington Museum, where he also made extensive experiments in testing and comparing the tonal qualities of various woods. Employed in the Natural History department at the British Museum, 1883, and resident at Battersea Park. Being then somewhat relieved from thoughts of any possible future pecuniary embarrassments he made repeated onslaughts in the further cultivation of his beloved violin-building, and constructed models, moulds, templets, etc. Modelling of his instruments up to number 50 or thereabouts worked out more or less on original ideas. Measurements: - Body length 14-1/8 inches; upper bouts 6-3/4; middle 4.5/16; lower 8-1/4; length of waist curves 3-1/8; ribs 1.5/32 to 1.7/32; distance between top of sound-holes 1-5/8. Outline and arching show the constant study of Stradivarian principles, even though he chose to make slight divergencies. All vitality in design must be derived from that wonderful and not to be improved upon model, and from which every maker must seek his education and inspiration. Fine symmetrical balance between upper and lower bouts, the former particularly full-looking, and the whole circumference formed of perfect curvatures. Waist curves delightfully shaped. Stradivari as the monitor is especially emphasised in the pose of the scroll. No vexatious uncertainty that often upsets the desired accuracy in purfling. Sound-holes executed with the facility of an unerring hand. Immaculate workmanship attached to every detail. Proportions, though massive, all magnificently harmonised. Unusually thick plates, perhaps a little too much so on approaching the sides, resulting in a slight check to absolutely free vibration. The above 60 instruments have breasts taken from a Californian pine 1300 years old, particularly narrow and finely regular in fibre, and gives a distinctive “telling” timbre to the tone. One- and two-piece backs, the former giving the best pictorial results. Instruments numbered 70 and onwards belong more to the Guarnerian outline and arching, though here again there are small original modifications. Measurements: - body length 14 inches; upper bouts 6-1/4; lower 8.5/16; ribs 1/1/4. A peculiar chaste character pervades the whole contour. Every possible minuteness of detail exquisitely finished. Scroll not conceived as an ordinary head-piece ornament, but infused with all the bold rugged majesty of the Guarnerian. Sharply cut sound-holes, executed without the slightest tremor, and never endangering the gracefulness of pure curvature. Oil varnish of soft texture plentifully applied and not too elaborately polished, a particularly happy result. Tonal quality robust and full, but (owing to the perhaps excessive thickness of the plates), not altogether of desirable brightness. This penetrative quality will reach its absolutely free emission as the years pass by, and posterity will honour the productions of this conscientious maker. Completed his 134th instrument in 77th year, 1924. Also a few violas and ’cellos each built for that full glorification of diamond-like quality of tone only to be consummated 50 years hence instead of present-day premature sweetness and ultimate enfeeblement.
----------------------
John Rae. Maker
London
No. 112. 1919
----------------------
----------------------
No 50
John Rae. Maker
London 1901
----------------------
Name, date and number, also written on the inner side of ribs.
-------------------------------
Copy of the
“Dolphin” Strad 1714
Made by John Rae 1920
-------------------------------
------------------------------------
Copy of Violin known as the
“Messiah”
Made by John Rae, London
No. 19. .
-----------------------------------

RAEBURN
Nephew of John. Worked at Kirkcaldy (Scotland), 1900. Early instruments entirely amateurish. Later specimens interestingly progressive towards the higher artistic standard.

RAEBURN, ALEXANDER
Born at Largoward (Fifeshire) 1841. Worked at Leven (Fifeshire). Died there 1907. Violins structurally interesting. Full justice accorded to neat workmanship. Strong tonal quality firmly rooted, and its natural development may be safely left to the future. Stradivarian and Guarnerian modelling. Dark brown spirit varnish on early specimens, Whitelaw’s golden-yellow oil preparation on later ones.

RAEBURN, GEORGE R.
Born at Largoward 1846. Brother of the preceding. Worked at West Calder (near Edinburgh) and at Leven. Died 1918. Greater majority of instruments emanated from the former place only five being produced at the latter. Had a propensity for originality in certain measurements, but some specimens successfully adhere to the Stradivarian and Guarnerian principles. Skilful craftsman and painstakingly exacting in every detail. Sound-holes and purfling subjected to serious thought, but scrolls have the appearance of purchased ones. Whitelaw’s varnish on all instruments dating from West Calder, and Harris’s preparation on the few from Leven. Tonal quality nicely free from newness.
------------------------
George R. Raeburn
Leven A.D. 1918
------------------------

RAEBURN, JAMES
Born at Largoward 1810. Employed as a gardener on an estate near Braco (Perthshire). Died 1878. Amatese modelling splendidly conceived. Body length 14-1/8 inches; elevation of belly and back, 1/16; tapering to 5/32 at the edges. Belly wood of medium grain pine. Back, ribs, and scroll of mottled sycamore, very hard and of close figure. Arching well-nigh perfectly graduated. Corner blocks fixed by pegs. Some backs have mother-o’-pearl inlay in centre. Purfling neatly and most accurately traced. Very firm and homogeneous oil varnish of a golden-red shade well applied. Tonal quality of excellent penetrative force and attractively mellow. Also produced a few ’cellos.
--------------------
James Raeburn
Maker
Braco 1875
--------------------
(written)

RAEBURN, JOHN
Born at Largoward 1833. Eldest brother of Alexander and George. Not brought up to violin-making, early days spent in more laborious toil. Son of a miner, taken from school in eighth year and sent to shepherd the cattle, accompanied his father five years later to the coal pit, worked underground for 50 years, subsequently became manager and retired 1897. Died 1910. Fair player of dance tunes in youthful years. Commenced hobby of violin structure 1856, and enjoyed himself in a small workshop adjoining his cottage. Emulation engendered by intercourse with the Yoole family (amateur enthusiasts), who gave him opportunities of viewing and measuring the Vuillaume and Lupot belonging to them. Produced about 100 violins. Stradivarian, Guarnerian, Amatese, and Maggini modelling, the former two out-distancing the others. Found no new route to any Parnassian temple, but accomplished much genuine artistry by ever having before him the watchwords of patience, humility, and incessant study. Each instrument well wooded and entire contour of robust appearance. Strong margins, nicely rounded edges, and neat purfling. Sound-holes valiantly cut, and the Guarnerian type “hit-off” most ingeniously. Scrolls not so personal, but rather proclaim bought merchandise. First period instruments treated with a spirit varnish - later specimens oil varnished, yellow and brownish shades. Vigorous and long-life tonal quality necessarily needing long years of playing to reach persuasive maturity. Some early examples tend towards the metallic tone so highly favoured by the Scottish dance-players, but a few of the later specimens are of Lupot-like penetrativeness, and are now rapidly soaring up in price. A completely conscientious enthusiast who honestly tried to avoid stereotyped primness of design. Seldom excited himself with the publicity of advertising, and remained content to pocket £5 from any local amateur. Bronze medallist at the Glasgow and Edinburgh Exhibitions.
-------------------------------
John Raeburn
Maker
Largoward. St. Andrews
1902
-------------------------------
Had none of the privileges enjoyed by the modern schoolboy, but no ordinary drawbacks impeded the triumphal expansion of natural talents. Taught himself to draw, engrave, and paint pictures. One of his chief pictures is of Tarisio (collector of violins) - inspiration drawn from the accounts given in Hart’s book. Depicts Tarisio lying dead on a couch all alone in a miserable Milanese attic where he had passed his hermit years. A few rays of light from a small roof window show up the scanty furniture and general disorder of an almost endless profusion of violins, ’cellos, double-basses, scrolls, cases, and bows - a poignant impression of a life’s sad ending. Also felt the spell of astronomical research and became captivated by sky revelations, worked out an orrery, and had it going for many years. Poetry also came from him quite spontaneously, the most popular of his versifications being “A Legend of Kilbrackmont”.

RAEDER, HERMANN
Worked at Detroit (U.S.A.), 1908.

RAETZEN, DAVID
Worked at Hamburg, 1732. One of the best makers in that city. Instruments (particularly lutes), greatly appreciated in Italy. Violins of pretty conception and varnish.
----------------------------------
Daniel Raetzen
Fecit Hamburg. Anno 1732
----------------------------------

RAFFAELE, NELLA (or DELLA)
Worked at Brescia, 1652-1680. Probably descendant of a Brescian family named Ravenelli. Imitator of Maggini, though with his conception of this model we are not particularly enamoured. Longish sound-holes of no great adornment. Scroll rather well imitated in the region of the boss. Double purfling. Strongly wooded, splendidly fibred belly wood, but one-piece backs often only of slightly flamed maple, and ribs frequently of plain material. Somewhat thick yellow brown spirit varnish, often degenerated to a patchy dark shade. Backs and ribs often overloaded with inscriptions and mosaic work, most frequently decorating the sides with the so-called Brescian legend (see under this name for words and translation). Rather deep toned, but too thick and not especially mellow.
---------------------
Nella Raphael
Brescia. A 1673
---------------------
Other labels differently worded. Name seen in violins dated 1840.

RAFFO, CIPRIANO
Worked at Chiavari (Genoa), 1876-1904. Several excellent double basses known.

RAFFY, J.
Worked at Avignon (France).
------------------------
Repare par J. Raffy
Avignon. 1893
------------------------

RAGUS, ANTOINE
Worked at Nantes (France).
--------------------
Antoine Ragus
à Nantes. 1749
--------------------

RAGOT, LUCIEN ANDRIÉ Born 1906. Studied at Mirecourt. Worked at Céret (Pyrenées Orientales). Various models, chiefly Guarnerian - clear red and reddish brown varnish. Assisted by son (born 1930), with same Christian names.
---------------------------
Lutherie d’ Art
Lucien- Andre Ragot
Père & Fils
Céret. P.O. 1948
---------------------------

RAHN, HEINRICH HERMANN
Born 1846. Worked at Markneukirchen (Saxony).

RAHN, WILHELM
Born at Friedrichroba (Thuringia), 1859. Studied the art of violin playing from 8th year. Became interested in violin structure and gained experience in several Saxon towns. Went to America, 1882 as a violinist. Opened repairing premises at Minneapolis, 1885. Acquired a good reputation as a maker of violins and harps. Returned to Germany, 1900.

RAILICH, GIOVANNI
Worked at Padua (Italy), 1665-1680. Shop sign “Al Santo” (the Saint). Teacher to Matthias Klotz. Lutes rather happily conceived in design. Workmanship not quite masterly, but without blemish. Violins far less satisfactory: body-length 14-3/8 inches. Width not strictly proportionate with the unusual length. Ribs rather shallow, typical of the Brescian school. Not graceful modelling, the arching rising suddenly from the edges then proceeding almost flat to centre. Large scroll, deeply incised and throat cut rather too low, the whole thing verging near ugliness. Sound-holes quite unattractive and almost primitive, the upper curves inclined to lean outwards instead of inward. Often coarse wood for top, some showing a wretchedly broad curving vein. Also poor material for backs, and of scarcely any flame, some having marks like rings made in water. Yellow brown varnish, inferior in texture and dull in appearance. Viola-like deep tone but thick and unresponsive for rapid passages. It is quite possible that many are really nondescript and have been ticketted by certain traffickers with imitations of Railich’s lute labels.
-------------------------------
Giovanni Railich
Lautaro in Padova, 1673
-------------------------------
X branded on back button and, a little lower down, two designs in ivory and ebony. £250, 1960.

RAILICH, PIETRO
Worked at Venice, 1644-1655, and at Padua, 1656-1670. Lutes and guitars. No violins known.
------------------------------
Pietro Railich
alla Givia Venetia, 1644
------------------------------
--------------------------------
Pietro Railich
Al Santo in Padova, 1655
--------------------------------

RAIMONDI
see YOUNG.

RAINERI, ERACLIO
Born 1912. Pupil of Cesare Candi. Resident at Genoa. Strad and individualistic modelling. Some specimens (for pure fantasy) varnished in white, gold and silver. Several splendid bows bear his name.
------------------------------
Eraclio Raineri Genova
“Liutaio”
Via Peglio 29 R. 1949
------------------------------

RAINEY, WILLIAM ROBERT
Born at New Bedford (Massachusetts), 1871. Son of a Belfast violinist who had migrated to the United States. Produced first instrument in 19th year. Resident at San Diego (California), 1922. Exclusive repairer for the late Maude Powell (celebrated violin virtuoso) and caretaker of the instruments owned by Ralph Granger (San Diego millionaire). Productivity fairly prolific. Best results obtained from the Stradivarian modelling. Workmanship completely satisfactory. Dark brown shade of excellent varnish. Claimed to impart a marvellously brilliant tonal quality by adding four bituminised strips of wood between the sound-holes. Invented a contrivance by which the fingerboard and bridge may be alternately adjusted from high to low according to the desires of the performer. Had great faith in Californian woods. Produced several fine toned ’cellos. Also recognised as an expert bow maker by the violin fraternity throughout the States.

RAINGO, N. M.
Maker of wind instruments at Mons, 1810-1855. Also made (or imported) a few violins.
----------------------------------------
N. Marcel Raingo
Luthier, Rue d’Enghien, à Mons
----------------------------------------
(monogram in a large pictorial oval)

RAISON, FERRY.
Bow maker at Mirecourt, 1770.

RAISTRICK, JOHN W.
Worked at Bradford (Yorks), 1907. Very good workmanship.

RAITT, J.
Established many years at Carphin, Co. Fife. Died 1818. Conscientious workman.

RAKOVSKY
Worked at Kiev (Russia), 1887.

RAKOVSKY, ALOYS
Bohemian ‘cellist. Born 1802. Made several interesting improvements in violin and ’cello bows. Recipient of considerable laudatory appreciation from players and amateurs who used his splendidly balanced productions.

RAMBAUX, CLAUDE VICTOR
Born at Darney (Vosges), 1806. Apprenticed to Moitessier at Mirecourt, 1820-1824. Worked with Thibout at Caen, 1824; and with François Gand at Paris, 1827-1838. Established own premises in the Faubourg Poissonnière, 1838. Retired to Mirecourt, 1857. Died there, 1871. Made experiments (1847) in modifying the central thicknesses of the belly by certain trenchments which did not interfere with the continuity of the fibre, and impregnated the wood with heat and chemicals, but his fantasy ultimately evaporated into the cloudland of oblivion. Also adopted new ideas concerning the linings, which likewise had a short life of approbation. Exhibited a violin with two bars at the Exposition Universelle, Paris, 1855, one fixed in the usual position under the belly, the other glued to the back and on which the soundpost rested. Indifferently toned instruments treated to this procedure were said to be sensibly ameliorated thereby. His own instruments, of Stradivarian outline, have a particularly sharp telling tonal quality on the A and E strings, and a somewhat unusual degree of sonority on the D and G, features supposedly produced by the energetic vibration of the two bars, each normalised by the influence of the soundpost. Workmanship splendidly neat. Varnish generally too thick and almost gleamless. Especially skilful in reducing the size and altering the varying forms of old ’cellos to that of the Stradivarian in order to cope with modern usage. Recipient of several exhibition diplomas. £75, 1960.
------------------------------------
Claude Victor Rambaux
Breveté à Paris, 1846 C.V.R.
------------------------------------
-------------------
Vtor Rambaux
-------------------
(written)

RAMFTLER, FRANZ
Born at Munich, 1834. Pupil of Engleder. Established own workshop, 1862. Appointed maker and repairer to the Bavarian Court. Died 1914. Stradivarian modelling showing considerable advance upon several antecedent productions from his countrymen. Bold and free curvature imparted to the outline. Scroll and sound-holes admirably done. Purfling and edges quite neat. Pretty wood clothed appropriately by an excellent varnish of own preparation. Tonal quality of fair force and freedom. £20 (1925).
----------------------
Franz Ramftler
Hofgeigenmacher
München 1880
----------------------

RAMIREZ, MANUEL
Born 1869. Worked at Madrid. Died 1920. Famed (in Spain and South America) for magnificent guitars. Violins quite secondary.
-------------------------------------------
Manuel Ramirez
Constructor de Violines y guitarras
Luthier del Real Conservatorio
Calle de Arlaban No. 11. Madrid.
-------------------------------------------

RAMSAY, WILLIAM
Worked at Biggar (Scotland), 1890-1900. Did not make many instruments. Stradivarian outline and arching harmonised with considerable skill. General workmanship distinctly above the average. Thicknesses of wood arranged according to established principles but the edges are left rather thick and somewhat abruptly turn up into a ridge. Pretty wood is an outstanding feature. Yellow varnish happily laid on and pleasingly polished. Tonal quality nicely flexible combined with fair strength.
----------------
W. Ramsay
Biggar. 1899
----------------
(name written, place and date printed)

RANCH, FREDERICK
Resident at Brooklyn (New York), 1925. Advocate of the admirable varnish supplied by G. J. Thomas of Oakland (California).

RANK, HERRMANN
Established at Reichenberg (Bohemia), 1923-1926. Built instruments on a new principle of generating freedom of tone. Recipient of many congratulatory Press criticisms.

RANTA, PIETRO
Worked at Brescia, 1733. Amatese modelling of unqualified dignity. Scroll arranged with exceeding grace in the multitude of its flowing lines, the boss terminating with the utmost delicacy. Sound-holes do not shrink from comparison with those of the original. Tonal quality exceedingly pleasing. £250, 1960.

RAPHAEL
see RAFFAELE.

RAPAPORT, ELISHA
Born at Vienna, 1890. Studied philosphy and mathematics at university. Won degree of doctor. Visited the several violin shops at Mirecourt and Schönbach, and industriously applied himself to the constructive art. Resident at Tel Aviv, 1938.

RAPOPORT, HAIM
Born in Russia, 1904. Pupil of Alexander A. Shvalm Wishnegorsky of Petrograd, also of André Chardon, Paris. Established in Tel Aviv (Israel, 1925). Fine maker of violins and bows. Modelling after the old Italians but mostly Stradivarian. Several of his violins, as well as ’cellos, are in the possession of membels of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. During the orchestra’s tour of the U.S.A. in 1951, his instruments were highly praised by world famous experts in America. Also specialises in repairs and restorations.
--------------------------
Haim Rapoport fecit
Tel-Aviv Anno 19
--------------------------

RASINI
Bow maker. Fine bows, popular about 1920; choicest pernambuco octagon sticks, perfect balance.

RASMUSSEN, ANDERS
Born 1862. Pupil of F. W. Hansen. Worked at Gandlöse (Viksö), moved to Aarhus (Denmark), 1888, and at Copenhagen, 1908-1927. Regarded as a sort of pioneer in violin building among the Danish. Modelling generally follows the Stradivarian. Workmanship admirably executed. Beautiful varnish of own preparation. Tonal quality much to be admired.
Branded -
------------------------
Anders Rasmussen
Aarhus 1888
------------------------

RASTELLI, GIOVANNI
Worked at Genoa, 1822-1840. Made all kinds of bowed and plucked instruments. Violins which shed no particular lustre on the art, though of good outline and arching, but with ribs too deep. Tonal quality calls forth no special eagerness to listen to it. Broad fibred belly wood. Well flamed one-piece back. Red varnish, not rich in elastic properties or generously applied. £85, 1960.

RASTELLI, LUDOVICO
Worked at Genoa, 1800. Guarnerian modelling. £75, 1960.

RASTURA (RASURA), VINCENZO
Worked at Lugo (Italy), 1785. We cannot view these instruments with approving eyes. Workmanship capricious and varnish rather lustreless. Tonal quality of melancholy and sluggish character.

RAU, AUGUST
Born 1866. Worked for Weichold at Dresden. Established at Markneukirchen, 1890-1925. Bows noted for elegance of the head, exquisite sweep of stick and remarkable for strength with elasticity. Pernambuco wood exclusively used. £15.

RAU, CHARLES
Born 1891. Son of the preceding. Worked at Amsterdam. Skilful bow maker deprived of mature years through losing his life in the war, 1919. £12.

RAU, JOHANN FRIEDRICH
Born 1820. Died 1903. Worked at Nürnberg. Produced 160 violins, 50 violas. 40 ’cellos and 15 double basses. Design and scientific proportions absolutely conservant with the models replicated, Stradivarian, Guarnerian, Amatese, Tyrolean and Bohemian. Scrolls and sound-holes clearly cut. Infused “life” into the varnish by a splendid fluency of brush. Unscrupulous traders have Italian-labelled some of these productions successfully disposed of them as such and pocketed an amazing profit. Maker charged £10 to £25 according to the particular model.
---------------------------------------------------
Johann Friedrich Rau
Geigenmacher in Nüremberg, Anno 1882.
---------------------------------------------------

RAU, KARL
Son, pupil and successor of the preceding. Born 1870. Established at Nürnberg, 1925. Studied the violin in 15th year and became an excellent performer. Possessor of classical attainments in violin structure. Enjoyed the full blaze of commercial prosperity with his somewhat remarkable replicas of celebrated old violins. Outline, arching and proportions minutely true. Scroll replete with dignity and grace. Sound-holes very reminiscent of Cremonese work. Utilises a mastic and spirit varnish of own preparation, golden yellow and brown shades. Many Violinists have expressed their confidence in the tonal quality.
------------------------------
Carl Rau, Nürnberg
Lauten u. Geigenmacher
------------------------------

RAU, PAUL
Born 1857. Worked at Nürnberg. Died 1882. Son and pupil of Johann Friedrich. Produced about a dozen violins which afford full evidence of his competency. Unfortunately not fated to long enjoy any mark of appreciation owing to early death.

RAUCH, CHRISTOPH JOHANN
Born 1728. Died 1792. Worked at Komotau (Bohemia). Son and pupil of Johann. Modelling has a touch of originality not to be regretted. All details have received fair delicacy of treatment. Brownish red varnish upholds the rest of his work.
------------------------------------------
Christoph Rauch, Lauten u.
Geigenmacher in Comothau. 1764
------------------------------------------
(written and printed)

RAUCH, FRANZ
Worked at Passau (Bavaria).
---------------------------------------
Franz Rauch
Geingenmacher zu Passau 1603
---------------------------------------

RAUCH, JACOB (1)
Worked at Bruck (Austria) and Salzburg, 1710-1715. Outline and arching altogether graceful. Scroll and sound-holes rather appertain towards the severe. Few specimens in circulation. One preserved in the Caroline-Augusteum Museum, Salzburg.
-------------------------------------
Jacob Rauch, Hof-und bürgl
Geigenmacher in Brugg. 1715
-------------------------------------

RAUCH, JACOB (2)
Worked at Mannheim (Germany), 1720-1764. Repairer, etc., to the Court. Thoroughly imbued in his violin modelling, with the spirit of Stainer but delineated more vigorously than gracefully. Proportions of breadth rather too generous to be in harmony with the length. High arching well graduated. Workmanship and scroll exhibit much manipulative skill. Sound-holes seem to be a thorough mistake in shape, unless we assume he was aiming at originality. Neck and scroll frequently of pear tree wood. Belly wood not always well chosen, backs not always of well flamed material. Dark brown yellow varnish thickly applied. Tonal quality rather nasal and seldom warm. Made a few Amatese outline violins but the arching seems unduly pronounced. Clumsy looking violas with a tone not particularly inviting. ’Cellos of loftier pretensions, the hand of talent more in evidence even where there may seem justifiable a charge of “Haste over much”. Double basses of strong and round tone and admired for this rather than for the somewhat ordinary design and workmanship. Viol d’amours belong to his best productions. Arch lutes also “speak” well of his constructive ability.
----------------------------------------------
Jacob Rauch Hoff Lauten und Geigen
macher in Mannheim. Anno 1756
----------------------------------------------
(German lettering)
-----------------------------------
Jacob Ruach. Geigenmacher
in Mannheim. Anno 1763
-----------------------------------
(written)

RAUCH, JOHANN SEBASTIAN
Worked at Komotau, 1738-1759.
------------------
Sebast: Rauch
fece Komotau
ano 1759
------------------

RAUCH, JOSEPH (1)
Born 1722. Died 1795. Son and pupil of Johann. Worked at Komotau and Breslau. Stainer modelling of the usual high arching. Workmanship slightly unrefined. Steady veined belly wood, pretty material for backs and ribs. Dark yellow brown spirit varnish. Tonal quality without warmth or real clearness.
--------------------------------------------
Joseph Rauch, Lauten und
Geigenmacher in Commothau, 1763
--------------------------------------------
(German lettering)
-------------------------------
Josephus Rauch me fecit
Commotovii. An. 1768
-------------------------------

RAUCH, JOSEPH (2)
Born at Prague, 1701. Son and pupil of Sebastian (1). Worked at Würzburg until 1760. Somewhat Amatese in contour with something here and there slightly original. Nicely graduated medium arching. Several re-labelled and disposed of as of Italian art. Catalogued (when labelled with his name) at £20. Reddish brown varnish of good texture and appearance. Tonal quality fairly powerful with a modicum of sweetness.

RAUCH, JOSEPH (3)
Worked at Komotau, 1830-1838. Good workmanship.
----------------------------
Joseph Rauch me fecit
Comotovi anno 1834.
----------------------------

RAUCH, SEBASTIAN (1)
Worked at Prague, 1700-1724, and at Hamburg, 1725. Rather excellent ratio of ability in the workmanship, but not in conception of design. Outline and medium arching, albeit somewhat original but cannot be termed graceful either in curves or graduation. None but eyes incapable of detecting artistry could possibly admire the shape of the scroll. Sound-holes and purfling demand a less severe criticism. Very effective yellow varnish, texturally good and of nice transparency. Well chosen acoustical belly wood and often pretty flamed material for backs. Tonal quality valued at £25 (1932). Violas lack anatomical accuracy of contour, but have a rather pleasing deep tone. Also ’cellos and double basses.
--------------------------------------
Sebastian Rauch, Lauthen und
Geigenmacher im Prag
Im Jahr 1710
--------------------------------------
(German lettering)
-----------------------------------
Sebastianus Rauch Pragensis
fecit Anno 1707
-----------------------------------

RAUCH, SEBASTIAN (2)
Son and pupil of Thomas. Worked at Breslau, 1730-1779. We may be prejudiced but we have to freely admit our non-appreciation of this somewhat original form, known as the Rauch form. Whichever way the lines of contour are viewed, they display little real elegance and though the outline curves are rather flowing the high arching is hopelessly opposed to our conception of artistic graduation. Symmetrical proportions of the scroll and sound-holes better preserved. Wood generally too thin, also doctored with chemicals. Varnish originally brownish yellow somewhat opaque, but now (in many cases) deteriorated into a dark brown of uneven shade wholly patchy looking, an unsightly product caused by rubbing in a brown colouring matter (an earth, e.g., umber) before varnishing. Tonal quality without strength, rather hollow and of feeble mellowness. £15.
----------------------------------
Sebastianus Rauch me fecit
Wratislaviae. 1759
----------------------------------
-----------------------------
Sebastian Rauch
fecit Wratislawie. 1779
-----------------------------

RAUCH, SEBASTIAN (3)
Son of Sebastian (1). Worked at Komotau and Leitmeritz (Bohemia) from 1742. Died 1801. We may readily trace something reminiscent of the Amati or Stainer in outline but the high arching is peculiarly of his own exaggerated planning. Nothing refined or classic about the entire design, neither the scroll or sound-holes draw forth much admiration. Spirit varnish, mostly dark brown, seldom golden yellow. Small tone without clarity or matured sonority. £15.
------------------------------------------
Sebastian Rauch, Lauten und
Geigenmacher in Leitmeritz, 1780.
------------------------------------------

RAUCH, THOMAS
Born at Prague, 1702. Son of Sebastian (1). Worked at Prague and Breslau until 1746. Some instruments strongly reminiscent of those of Thomas Edlinger with whom he may have been associated. Other specimens, also highly arched of certain originalities not particularly flattering to good taste. Used a poor quality varnish of brownish shade now rapidly assuming a darker unpleasantness. Workmanship not free from minor blemishes. Good belly wood and occasionally nicely flamed backs. Tonal quality tending towards the nasal.
---------------------------------------------
Thomas Rauch, Lauten und
Geigenmacher in Breslau anno 1739
---------------------------------------------

RAUCHE, MICHAEL
Worked in Chandos Street, London, 1760-1800. Clever exponent of art design in lutes and theorbos, many adorned with charming incrustations and consequently prized for their beauty.

RAUER, GEORG
Born 1879. Pupil of Haudek. Worked at Budapest, 1898. Established at Vienna 1907, also opened a branch workshop at Carlsbad. Most of his work done at the Austrian metropolis, with Kurt R. Kaltenbrunner as principal assistant, 1925. Violins and ’cellos that confer honour on the maker. Details of workmanship exquisitely finished. Varnish of colourful lustre. Particularly handsome wood and surprisingly good tonal quality exciting more applause than dissent.
------------------------------------------
G.R.
Georg Rauer
Geigenmacher in Wien Anno 19-
------------------------------------------
(decoratively scrolled)

RAULA, PETRUS
Worked in Brescia, 1730. Maggini modelling admirably conceived, generally onepiece backs. Double purfling and golden brown varnish. Viola-like tonal quality. £175, 1960.

RAUNER, M. W.
Established at Berlin, 1925. Exporters of “commercial” violins, mandolines and lutes, made at their factory at Klingenthal.

RAUSCH
Established at Speyer (Bavaria), 1920. Various kinds of stringed instruments.

RAUSCHMAYER, WALTHER M.
Established at Ridgwood (New Jersey), 1920. Little known work.

RAUT, JEAN
Native of Bretagne. Born 1719. Died 1791. Worked at Rennes (France). Guarnerian modelling particularly in waist curves and sound-holes. Arching slightly prone to plumpness. Little can be said in favour of the workmanship. Nicely wooded but covered with a hard looking reddish varnish. Tonal quality rather blatant and nasal. Some labels give Christian name as Giovanni.

RAUTMANN, CARL
Born 1818. Died 1895. Worked at Brunswick (Germany). Instruments date from 1845 and subsequently brought him the appointment of principal maker to the Court. Won diploma at the Vienna Exhibition, 1872. Most effective conception of Stradivarian modelling, much elegance in the arching, waist curves nicely extended to preserve a well adjusted balance with the upper and lower bouts. Manifestation of considerable delicacy in the scroll and sound-holes. Sympathetic tonal quality not unmingled with penetrative force. Belly wood of finely straight fibre.
------------------
C. Rautmann
Braunschweig
1889
------------------

RAUTMANN, GUSTAV
Born 1849. Died 1917. Worked at Brunswick. Son, pupil and successor of Carl. Stradivarian principles generously adhered to, his favourite model, but occasionally presented specimens of other well-known types. Oil and spirit varnishes.
------------------------------
G. Rautmann
Hofinstrumentenmacher
Braunschweig
------------------------------

RAUTMANN, HERMANN
Born at Brunswick, 1853. Son and pupil of Carl. Established at Magdeburg (Saxony), 1877-1925. Modelling variously pays meretorious tribute to the Stradivarian, Guarnerian and others. Artistically applied a nicely soft varnish of own formula.
-------------------------
fecit
Hermann Rautmann
Magdeburg 18-
-------------------------

RAUWOLF, SIXTUS
Born 1556. Died 1619. Member of the Augsburg (Bavaria) Guild, 1577. Produced many finely worked lutes. Label bears the Royal Bavarian Coat-of-Arms. Several specimens preserved at Augsburg, Copenhagen, Stuttgart and Boston.

RAVANELLI
Worked at Brescia, 1652-1700. Name variously given as Raphanelli, Raffaele Nella and Della Raffaele. Maggini like instruments with a brownish shade of varnish.

RAVEKENS, HENDRICK
Worked at Amsterdam, 1707.

RAVELL, NILS
Born 1910. Violinist and conductor at Stockholm. Neat workmanship, several models, golden red varnish.

RAVENNA, GIOVANNI BATITISTA
Worked at Lavagna (Genoa), 1840. Instruments of various grades. Not conspicuous for outstanding individuality or merit. Best specimens valued at £20 (1930).

RAVENNA, LUCIANO
Resident at Milan, 1919. Specialist and connoisseur in violin structure.

RAVIZZA, CARLO
Born 1882. Pupil of Antoniazzi. Resident at Milan, 1920. Violins, violas and ’cellos, almost replicas of his teacher’s style.

RAWLINS, HENRY
Worked in London, 1775-1781. Violins, violas and ’cellos. A maker who had the usual unlimited sphere for the operations of his talents and the broad range of various models from which he could cull whatever he deemed best. Yet, we are surprised to find that he was satisfied to turn out much which must be relegated to “ordinary”. Wanderings in varnishing not always accompanied with success.
----------------------
Henricus Rawlins
Londini. 1779
----------------------
----------------------------------------
Restauratus Henricus Rawlins,
auspicio Giardini, Londini, 1781
----------------------------------------
Giardini (Italian virtuoso) was at that period leader of the Italian opera orchestra in London.

RAYMAN, JACOB
Born in the Tyrol. Worked in London, 1620-1650. Sometimes spoken of as the founder of the English school. Violins absolutely synonymous with quaintness. Under full size and of unsymmetrical outline. Tyrolean characteristics rather pronounced but arching not bulgy. Small scroll fairly well shaped. Short sound-holes, tyro designed and disastrous to contour of the whole. Defective inlaying of purfling. Edges and corners sensibly rounded. Very transparent varnish of fine substance, yellow brown tinged with red. Tonal quality small but responsively clear and silvery. Violas and ’cellos belong to a later period than the small instruments. Many are greatly coveted by players and connoisseurs, though having strong Stainer traits. Exceedingly beautiful wood treated to nice workmanship except the purfling. His viols differ considerably from those of the English makers of same period. £70, 1960.
---------------------------------------------
Jacob Rayman dwelling in Blackman
Street, Long-Southwark, 1641.
---------------------------------------------
-------------------------------
Jacob Rayman, at ye Bell
ard in Southwarke.
London, 1648
-------------------------------

RAYMANT, A. F.
Born at Mile End, London, 1861. Saw, plane and tool maker. Produced first instrument, 1900. Stradivarian, Guarnerian and his own modelling. Every specimen comes under the denomination of really good art in design. Excellent workmanship though not superfine. Varnishing carried out in a very liberal manner. Good wood splendidly graduated to further the free emission of tone.
---------------------------------
A. F. Raymant
Maker
194 Roman Rd. Bow, E.3.
Fecit 1923 anno
---------------------------------
(written)

RAYMOND, PIERRE
Born at Moscow, 1851. French parents. Resident at Brussels. Died 1935. Owned a collection of valuable old instruments some of which he dexterously copied in design and varnish.

RAYMOND, RUDOLPH
Lengthy modelling but outline not unsymmetrical. Abrupt drop in the arching near the deeply grooved margins. Scroll of original conception, not inelegant, small head and very openly cut at throat. Sound-holes well under usual length. Excellent quality of wood with yellow varnish. Whole contour full of fantasy but treated to fairly skilled workmanship.
-------------
Rudolph
Raymond
R.R. 1904
-------------
Bearing two designs within circles, the left-hand one representing the crowned head of a Monarch, and the right-hand one illustrating the two owls Coat-of-Arms.

RAZENZ, CAROLE
Italian maker who worked at Barcelona around 1685.

RAZZOLI, FELICE
Worked at Modena, 1880. Quite good workmanship, although instruments not especially outstanding in any way. £80, 1960.

READ, JOHN R. W.
Established as a maker and repairer in London, 1931. Pupil of George Wulme-Hudson. Instruments modelled after Stradivarius, Guarnerius, Rocca, Gagliano and Montagnana. Violins, violas and ’cellos all of excellent workmanship and varnish. £45, 1960.

REBER, FRANZ HERMANN
Born 1880. Worked at Lübeck and Hamburg. Established at Bremen, 1904. Stradivarian modelling of satisfactory dexterity in craftsmanship, red or golden brown varnish.

REBER, PANCRATIUS
Worked at Düsseldorf, Treves and Mayence, 1716-1765. Stainer modelling showing no particular strain on the maker’s inventive faculties nor highly qualifying as a master of beautiful design or refined workmanship. Also not difficult to find out the absence of these qualities when viewing scroll and sound-holes. Excellent golden yellow varnish. Tonal quality of that order we seldom feel completely at ease with when playing a few rapid passages. £20 (1920).
-------------------------
Pancratius Reber
in Düsseldorf, 1716
-------------------------
(German lettering)
--------------------------------
Pancratius Reber
Chur Trierischer Musicus
Anno 1722
--------------------------------
This conveys the fact that he was chamber-musician to the Elector at Treves.
---------------------------
Pancratius Reber fecit
Moguntii. Ao 1763
---------------------------
Name also given as “Roeber”.

REBHAN, OTTO
Born 1869. Resident at Steinbach (Thuringia), 1900. Followed the vocation of painting porcelain dolls’ heads, then interested himself in making violins. First productions entirely primitive, made with a clasp knife and ordinary file. Brown polish for varnish. Wholly made of fir and beech woods and very thinly constructed. Subsequently progressed and ultimately produced instruments of reasonable design, properly varnished. Tonal quality small but sweet.

RECHALDINI, ZUANE
Called “Giovanni”. Worked at Venice, 1605-1615. Viol da-Gamba and five-stringed double bass in the Brussels Museum.
--------------------------------------
Zuane Rechaldini
al insegna del B sso in Venetia.
--------------------------------------

RECHARDINI, PIETRO
Worked at Venice, 1600-1625. Rather pretty Amatese outline, medium size model with arching slightly over developed. Good acoustical wood. Handsome backs, scroll well conceived and well carved. Delightfully sober yellow brown varnish of splendid texture, also one of orange red. Small and silvery tonal quality.
-------------------------------
Pietro Rechardini
Fecit Venetiis anno 1617
-------------------------------

REDDEN, J.
Born 1860. Resident at Duns (Berwick), 1926. Joiner and cabinet maker. Produced about twelve violins. An amateur who laboured earnestly and certainly successfully. Shows cultivated taste in colour and texture of varnish.

REDFERN, WILLIAM
Worked in London, 1830-1840. Stradivarian modelling. Workmanship shows a hand fairly well trained. Scroll and sound-holes ordinarily graceful. Brown varnish without lustre. Wood not of the best or prettiest. Tonal quality not tempting this pen to indict laudatory adjectives.
---------------------
William Redfern
London 1835
---------------------
(small, Old English type)

REED, JOSEPH
Born 1882. Resident at Barrow-in-Furness. Strad and Guarnerian models; oil varnish of own formula. Light to dark orange brown shade.
-------------------------------
Made by Joseph Reed
17 Davy Street
Barrow-in-Furness 1929
-------------------------------

REEDY, FRANKLIN
Established at Warren (Indiana), 1897-1926. Stradivarian modelling, excellent design and workmanship.

REEGAN
Worked at Limerick (Ireland), 1806. Interesting instruments by an enthusiastic amateur. Tonal quality worth £10. Written label.

REES, EVAN DEVEREUX
Born at Montgomery (North Wales), 1845. Emigrated to New Zealand, 1858. Settled at Christchurch and followed the vocation of boat builder. Reached 80th birthday, 1925, still actively engaged in violin making. Made first instrument, 1888. Meretorious handling of the Stradivarian and Maggini models, but achieved finer results with those of the Guarnerius type. Merits praise on the way he accomplished all the details of design and workmanship. Orange red oil varnish effectively applied. Tonal quality announced by competent players to be remarkably sonorous and mellow. Also made guitars and mandolines.
------------------------------
Made by
E. D. Rees
Christchurch N.Z. 1910
------------------------------

REGENSPURGER, MATTHIAS
Worked at Vienna, 1680-1731. One of the founders of the Lute makers’ Guild, 1696. Violins of a design which betokens considerable skill and ingenuity in execution but their practical utility, owing to rather indifferent tone, is in inverse proportion to the amount of care and labour bestowed on them. Violas give more satisfying results.
---------------------------------------------------
Matthias Regenspurger Lauten
und Geigenmacher in Wienn. Anno 1690
---------------------------------------------------

REGGIANI, FRANCESCO
Worked at San Martino d’Este (near Modena), 1836. Excellent Stradivarian and Gagliano modelling. £90, 1960.

REGINA, GEIGENBAU
Established at Bremen, 1918-1925. Makers of violins with an innovated resonance body (an idea of Heinrich Helfers). Conceived he false notion that the upper and lower ribs were tone checking, therefore omitted them. Breast and back plates so arched as to be joined together at the sides, waist ribs remaining as in the ordinary violin. Sound emission quite different from that of a normally constructed instrument. Violins of strange contour indeed, scarcely worth the consideration of serious players.

REGONINI, DOMENICO.
Born at Ostiano, 1929. Studied at the Cremona School and gained diploma, 1949.

REICHART, EDUARD
Worked at Dresden. Nicely finished bows. Octagonal sticks of dark chocolate colour. Strong heads. Weight 2.1/16 ounces. £10, 1960.

REICHEL, AUGUST ANTON
Born 1841. Worked for Weichold at Dresden. Established at Markneukirchen, 1875. Died 1929. Specialist in bow making. Also made violins. Assisted and succeeded by son August Otto (born 1873). £8, £10, £15, 1960.

REICHEL, CARL
Born 1894. Worked at Markneukirchen, 1921. Excellent modelling and varnish.
Branded -
--------------------------
Carl Reichel
Stamm. v. 1677
Markneukirchen S.A.
--------------------------
Stamm alludes to the foundation year of the firm.

REICHEL, CHRISTIAN
Master in the Guild, Markneukirchen, 1697. Died 1749. Looking at these violins of artistic contour and workmanship the eye is abundantly gratified, and by the motives beyond this mere execution (that of tonal quality), the ear is immediately affected. Tone nicely penetrative and of sweet warmth. £80, 1960.

REICHEL, CHRISTIAN FRIEDRICH
Born 1729. Died 1814. One of the best of the Markneukirchen makers. Modelling rather after the Cremonese, and we are not disappointed in its effect. Arrangement of sound-holes perfectly good. No violent or harsh imperfections in the cutting of the scroll, though its “swing” is not entitled to the appellation of distinctive. Thin varnish impregnated with an injurious stain. Good belly wood and backs often of pretty material. Bass bar and belly of one piece of wood. £90, 1960.

REICHEL, ERNST FRIEDRICH
Worked at Markneukirchen, 1879. Died 1936. Good Italian copies. £50, 1960.

REICHEL, JOHANN (1)
Master in the Guild at Markneukirchen, 1697-1740. No artistic correlation of outline and arching. Retiring sort of scroll as though reluctant to be seen. Sound-holes minus real swing of curve. Varnish without transparency, gloss or fire. Tonal quality not very agreeable. £45, 1960.

REICHEL, JOHANN (2)
Born 1704. Died 1761. Son and pupil of Johann (1). Master in the Guild at Markneukirchen from 1724. Ordinary and conventional modelling. Inside work not studiously careful. Corner blocks erroneously situated. Belly and bass bar of one piece of wood.

REICHEL, JOHANN ADAM (1)
Second son of Johann (1). Worked at Markneukirchen. Master in the Guild, 1734. Died in 80th year, 1794. Nice outline and arching harmonised together to form a production of fair interest. Brown yellow varnish of dark shade. £75, 1960.
------------------------------------
Johann Adam Reichel
Violinmacher in Neukirchen
An 1751
------------------------------------
(German lettering)
Name sometimes given as “Reigeld”. His wife, Eva Sophia, made basses.

REICHEL, JOHANN ADAM (2)
Worked at Markneukirchen, 1786-1836. Instruments embodying much that may be termed artistic, freedom of manner yields somewhat towards the Italian. Nicely broad pattern of medium arching. Scroll rather graceful and of fairly finished workmanship. Sound-holes seem to have involved slight difficulties for him but the casual observer would scarcely comprehend the few very minor blemishes. Generally one-piece backs, sometimes pretty and sometimes not. Brown or orange shades of varnish, texturally good. Tonal quality rather mellow and responsive. Well thoughtout ’cellos with brownish yellow varnish. Also built three-quarter size violins.
-------------------------------------------
Johann Adam Reichel
Musikalischer instrumentenmacher
in Italien. Ao 1788
-------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------
Johann Adam Reichel, musikalischer
instrumentenmacher in Neukirchen
An 1804.
---------------------------------------------
Also branded “J.A.R.” Like several of his contemporaries he used words misleading people to assume he had worked in Italy. £80, 1960.

REICHEL, JOHANN CASPAR (1)
Born 1693. Admitted into the Guild in 15th year. Worked at Markneukirchen. Died 1755. Narrow pattern and high arching. Plates left too thin. Tonal quality fairly sweet but almost feeble.
----------------------------------------
Johann Caspar Reichel Violin
macher in Neukirchen. An 1729
----------------------------------------
(German lettering)

REICHEL, JOHANN CASPAR (2)
Worked at Markneukirchen, 1750-1771. Instruments of superior merit to any produced by predecessors in the same town. Modelling of fairly noble proportions. Arching finely graduated to medium height. Rich orange varnish plentifully applied. Resonant tone of considerable power. £95, 1960.

REICHEL, JORANN CHRISTIAN
Born 1764. Died 1836. Son of Johann Gottfried (1). Worked at Markneukirchen. An instance where a capable workman ultimately descended to producing comparatively valueless instruments.

REICHEL, JOHANN CONRAD
Brother of Johann Gottfried (1). Born 1739. Master in the Guild, 1760. Died 1779. Prosperous exporter of “commercial” violins. Cheap grade, well produced if considered according to their class. Catalogued at £5 to £10, 1920.

REICHEL (REICHELT), JOHANN FRIEDRICH (1)
Born 1724. Died 1792. Master in the Markneukirchen Guild. Endowed with excellent abilities in craftsmanship. Instruments branded “J.F.R.”

REICHEL (REICHELT), JOHANN FRIEDRICH (2)
Born 1745. Son and pupil of Johann (2). Admitted to the Guild after compliance with the prescribed formalities, 1762. Paid, besides the usual master taxes, twelve groschen to the masters’ exchequer, and to the apprentices in pipes and tobacco. Worked up to his 80th year, 1826. A masterman whose genius was stimulated and crowned by the homage of his contemporaries, players and connoisseurs. To these products of an age and particular town often too hastily condemned, the special attention of violinists unable to purchase the highly priced Italians, should be attracted. Truly well constructed instruments needing not and deriving no fictitious lustre from dealers. With one of these specimens the youthful aspirants for soloistic honours should be buoyed up in their practising labours. As the years roll by, these violins will abide and gather to themselves a still larger amount of veneration and admiration. Very pretty orange varnish of really excellent texture and transparency. Branded “I.F.R.” or “J.P.R.” £100, 1960.

REICHEL, JOHANN FRIEDRICH (3)
Born 1751. Died 1820. Worked at Markneukirchen. Travelled through the country and sold his productions at various markets. Violins without much artistry and consistency of design. Sound-holes, though not altogether in bad style do not accord well with the arching. Scroll and purfling rather ill executed.

REICHEL (REICHELT), JOHANN GEORG (1)
Master in the Guild at Markneukirchen, 1722. Somewhat Stainerish in outline but with exaggerated arching even for that already high model. Workmanship only moderately careful.

REICHEL, JOHANN (HANS) GEORG (2)
Fourth son of Johann (1). Born 1717. Died 1744. Worked at Markneukirchen. Gracefulness of contour everywhere visible. Generally very finished workmanship. Richly endowed man whose genius was arrested by death years before he could have attained his meridian. His fame is well noised throughout Europe and America today.

REICHEL (REICHELT), JOHANN GOTTERIED (1)
Born 1735. Died 1770. Master in the Markneukirchen Guild, 1751. Erroneously stated to have been a pupil of Stainer at Absam, but such a miracle could not have happened as the latter had died 50 years before the former’s birth. Modelling somewhat on the Stainer principles but only superficially, arching is altogether too high and badly conceived. Long sound-holes rather precipitous. Dark yellow or red brown varnish rather meagre looking. Often one-piece backs of unadorned material. Nasal, weak and thin tone.
----------------------------------------------
Johann Gottfried Reichel
Arfunden von Jacob Stainer in Apsam
----------------------------------------------

REICHEL, JOHANN GOTTFRIED (2)
Son and pupil of the preceding. Born 1759. Died 1819. Worked at Markneukirchen and not at Cremona as some of his labels infer. Modelling derived a little from the Cremonese, but German elements certainly prevail. Medium arching nicely uniting the outline. Sound-holes generally add to that felicitous aspect. Belly wood mostly narrow veined, usually one-piece backs of closely marked maple occasionally of plain material.. Lovely soft orange brown varnish or an equally rich golden red. Round tonal quality of moderate power. Violas, mostly of 15-1/4 inch body-length, have a tone quite free and light, also prettily wooded. Also produced three-quarter size violins.
--------------------------------
Johann Gottfried Reichel
Cremonien Hieronimi Fili
AntoniNepos. 1780.
--------------------------------

REICHEL, OSWALD
Born 1888. Worked at Markneukirchen. Died 1933. Expert copyist of Cremonese models and especially of a Lupot.

REICHEL, OTTO
Bow maker at Remtengrün (Saxony), 1925. Important productions in various grades. Stamped “Reichel” or “O. Reichel”. £8 - £l0, 1960.

REICHEL, ROBERT
Worked at Markneukirchen, 1875. Died 1918. Specialist in the making of double bass bows. Assisted and succeeded by two sons, Max Robert and Walter, both died 1931.

REICHEL, WILHELM LUDWIG
Born 1859. Worked at Markneukirchen and Leipzig. Died 1925. Various models of violins, very good copies.

REICHOLT, CHRISTIAN
Born at Graslitz, 1631. One of the pilgrims who migrated to Neukirchen and settled there about 1660, in consequence of the persecution of the Protestants in Bohemia and Hungary. The first violin maker in that town and founder of the Guild, 1677. Died 1697. Created a model not very highly arched and thought it incumbent on his part to dress it up with workmanship as careful as he could accomplish. Also had fairly correct notions concerning the inner working of the instrument. Choice of wood generally excellent.
--------------------------------
Christianus Reicholt
anno 1695 in Neukirchen
--------------------------------
Reicholt is Bohemian. The subsequent members of this family of violin makers Saxonised the name to Reichel.

REICHENBERG, W. C.
Born Hannover (Germany), 1886. Amateur at Scottsbluff (Nebraska), 1935. Violins, violas and ’cellos all very nicely made and most of which he presented to friends.

REID, JOSEPH V.
Born at Orangeville (Canada), 1910. Violins of Strad and Guarnerian modelling. Large violas in the Richardson style. ’Cellos of Goifriller modelling. Varnish imported from Italy. Woods from Switzerland and Alaska. Author of “You can make a Strad Violin”, containing fifteen chapters (Popular Mechanics Press, U.S.A., 1950), very instructive for budding aspirants.

REIDEL, HERMANN ALBIN
Born 1884. Pupil of Pfretzschner. Worked at Markneukirchen, 1907. Well made bows of various grades which have achieved deserved popularity. Stamped with his name. £10, 1960.

REIF, KARL
Born at Neuköniggratz (Bohemia), 1889. Worked in several Bohemian towns. Established at Steingrub (Bohemia), 1924. Specialist in “artist violins” for the trade. Original ideas of design, called the Reif model, primarily based on a Stradivarius of 1697. Workmanship of the first order. Golden yellow varnish most effectively applied. Also produced solo clarinets, flutes, guitars, etc.
--------------------------------------
Charles Reif
Violinmacher in Steingrub
Post Fleissen - Czechoslovakie.
--------------------------------------
(in English for commercial purposes)
“Reif” written at the corner.

REINDAHL, KNUTE
Born at Mo (Upper Telemarken, Norway), 1858. Telemarken, a centre of the wood carving industry, the manufacture of toys and of more serious wooden sculptures and images for churches being carried on extensively there. Spent his childhood in this atmosphere of wood and was adept with wood carving implements before reaching his 8th year. Had an irrepressible inherent and inherited desire to continue as a wood carver, as all his ancestors had been, and graduated up to the highest honours in that art. Produced occasional violins from 10th year just to relieve the routine of ordinary occupation. Went to America, 1870, and worked in the ateliers of the Pullman Company at Chicago, and produced the finest work in the Renaissance and Rococo styles. Refused tempting offers to have superintendency over an extensive product in this indsutry, and set up a violin making workshop in the Auditorium Buildings, Chicago, 1885. Success soon crowned his efforts, ultimately became recognised as an expert connoisseur in all things appertaining to old violins, etc., and was appointed President of the American Guild of Violin Makers. Awarded diploma of merit at the Columbian Exhibition, 1893; and gained a gold medal at the Paris Exposition, 1900. Settled at Madison (Wisconsin), 1920. Owned a palatial house beautifully situated on the high sloping banks of the river, 1928. Visiting this picturesque spot and viewing his atelier of art was a delightful sojourning among reverential antiques and curios. Therein we saw art in the shape of the carvings, beautifully posed figures all over the room, art in pictures and in pictures of artist-violinists, art in old fiddles, also equally in the newer ones. Even the spluttering glue-pot over in the corner with its pungent steaming odour, added to the general atmosphere. One would never suppose that the distinguished looking luthier sitting at the bench had once worked upon a farm. Constructed 600 violins, 20 violas and 20 ’cellos up to year 1928. The knowledge acquired during this prolific productivity (all his instruments giving satisfactory service and the majority of them in the hands of soloists and leading orchestral players) naturally made him an adept, and brought to the highest degree the completely thorough knowledge of the laws of proportion, the laws of tension, the science of acoustics and the knowledge of what causes and what cures faulty tone. Built three types of models: “Reindahl Grand Model”, pronounced by connoisseurs to be nearer the ideal violin for present-day conditions than any other. Styled “Grand” because of the breadth and depth of tone secured by slight departure from the models of Strad, Guarnerius and Amati. “Tadellos” (the German superlative) meaning without blemish, above criticism, perfect, is the only word that aptly describes the whole contour. Outline and arching both gracefulness incarnate. Edges beautifully rounded, and corners delightfully full yet of the most delicate refinement. American or European maple for backs, always of fine flame. Varnish usually shaded in tints best adopted to bring out the beauty of each particular piece of wood and possesses distinct acoustical qualities. The natural “flare” of the maple is seen through this transparent preparation of his own like a light shining through a cathedral window into the night. It will neither crack or chip off, and its lustre is altogether quite fascinating. Tonal quality quickly responsive to bow pressure from real pianissimo to the most pronounced fortissimo. Catalogued at 500 dollars (1928).
“Reindahl Strad Model”: in outward form a replica of one of the celebrated Strads and has a tone of vitality and velvety delicacy. This model, while showing that the maker has worshipped at the shrine of old Antonio, shows also that while he stooped to imitate he stooped to conquer at the same time, and each instrument bears the impress of genius all over its magnificent form. 500 dollars.
“Reindahl Art Violins”: made to order, of any model, with any desired scroll or embellishment. Generally valued at 600 dollars. Some of these are truly wonderful works of art. Presented one to Emile Sauret which had his portrait beautifully inlaid on the back as well as other gorgeous ornamentations. Franz Von Vecsey possessed a specimen with a finely carved head of Joachim instead of the scroll. Leonora Jackson owned another having her features faithfully delineated in remarkable head carving. Many others are in circulation having all sorts of carving and inlay decoration on most of them astoundingly beautiful. From tail pin to scroll each Reindahl instrument was wrought by hand, without the employment of help either human or machine. Reindahl bows valued for their perfect balance and elasticity. Tourte and other models accurately facsimiled, 50 dollars in U.S.A. Violas and ’cellos equally fine, some of the latter having a rich display of ornamentation.
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Knute Reindahl
Madison. Wis.
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(beautifully designed (quite uncommon) border)

REINER, JOSEPH
Worked at Mittenwald (Bavaria), 1798. Rather unprepossessing Stainer modelling. Dark brown varnish, dull and streaky. Impoverished tonal quality. £10.

REINERT, ROBERT
Established at La Chaux-de-Fonds (Switzerland), 1925. Invented a mechanical contrivance to do the work of tools, etc. Presented interesting violins at the Geneva Exhibition, 1927. Made over 400, and received laudatory notices from Marteau, Szigetti and other virtuosi.
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Robert Reinert
La Chaux-de-Fonds
No. . . 19. .
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(with R.R. and a sound-hole within a flowery design)
------------------------------------
Robert Reinert
No. . . Chaux-de-Fonds 19. .
14
------------------------------------

REINHARD, ANTON
Established at Dresden, 1882-1896. Excellent class of ‘commercial” violins. Various models of several grades. Bright yellow spirit varnish.
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Anton Reinhard
fecit 1885
--------------------
“Commercial” violins of world-wide reputation, 1925, and deservedly so, as they are infinitely better instruments than those of problematical antiquity with which the violin world is inundated. Two splendid grades -
1. Stradivarian model, matured wood, perfect outline, fine amber varnisn and desirable tonal quality. £8.
2. Grand Amati model, handsome wood, a rich dark red varnish beautifully shaded and a good tone. £12.

REINHARDT, U.
Resident at Salzburg. Repairer to the Bishopric orchestra.
--------------------------------------------
Ulrich Reinhardt Hof-Lauten
u. Geingemacher in Saltsburg 1680
--------------------------------------------

REINHOLD, HEINRICH
Born at Cassel, 1859. Pupil of Schonger. Worked at birthplace until 1935. First instrument dated 1877. Won gold medal 1905, for two quartets, Guarnerian and Stradivarian models.

REINHOLDSON, FRANS EMIL
Born 1878. Amateur at Linköping (Sweden). Good workmanship.

REINZER, ANTON
Worked at Prague, 1825-1833.
------------------------
Ant. Reinzer
in Prag. Anno 1829
------------------------

REISSE, JEAN FRANÇOIS
Worked at Strassburg, 1776-1802. Repair labels seen in numerous violins. Doubtful if any new violins came from his hand. Enjoyed excellent local reputation as a violinist.

REITER, JOHANN
Born at Mittenwald (Bavaria), 1879. Son, pupil and successor to Johann Baptist. One of the few Mittenwalders to work independently of factories and exporters. Every instrument made entirely by hand and without the assistance of workmen. Violins so purely accurate in design should appeal to the educated lover of flawless workmanship. Modelling somewhat similar to that of father’s, also partaking of the Vauchel style. Perfect cutting of scroll and sound-holes also conduces to the very desirable and complete artistry of the entire. Devoted years of experimental thought on the subject of varnishing, and has splendidly exemplified his knowledge and adeptness. Unsurpassed as a draughtsman in purfling. Violas also should be attended with due appreciation and success. ’Cellos have a cyclopaedic of excellencies. Built lutes with fancy heads suggested by a gamba of Ruggerius. Also guitars with elliptical double resonance “decks”. Artist bows of paramount interest owing to their fidelity to the standard models and consequent full applicability to all the virtuoso varities of the bowist. Recipient of medals at the Nürnberg Exhibition, 1905. Specialist in re-toning and regulating the vibrations of old and faulty instruments. Also recognised as a capable performer on the violin, ’cello and guitar. Enjoying the fruits of honourable industry, 1926.
----------------------------------
Johann Reiter
Streichinstrumentenmacher
Mittenwald 1889
----------------------------------
Frequently branded “I. Reiter”.

REITSMA, WIEBE
Born at Terwispel (Holland), 1885. Amateur. Constructed first instrument, 1941. Exhibited at The Hague, 1949.
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W. Reitsma. Den Haag
Bouwjaar
----------------------------
(with four bars of music and signature)

REITZ, A. W.
Born in Germany, 1867. Worked at St. Louis (U.S.A.) and at Aurora. Established at Chicago, 1920. Outline and arching either Stradivarian or Guarnerian, and artistic earnestness stamped on every detail. Magnificent quality of oil varnish which should defy any of the usual destructive forces of time and usage.

RELLSTAB
Worked at Berlin, 1790-1798. Professional violinist. Violin and ’cello in Stockholm Museum inscribed “Rellstab Berlin”.

REMELIN, ALBERT
Born 1884. Amateur at Lister-Hyäliby (Sweden). Good workmanship.

REMENYI, MIHÁLY (MICHAEL)
Born at Budapest, 1867. Pupil of Tánczer. Established own workshop, 1890. Died 1939. Admirable modelling, principally following the Guarnerian but also the Stradivarian. The peculiarities which each professes to illustrate are totally and entirely distinct, so that neither trespasses on the domains of the other. Fidelity of scrolls and sound-holes quite remarkable. Workmanship dictated and controlled by an artistic mind, perpetuating the beauties of refinement and affording happiness to the eye of all who are interested and lucky enough to view it. All the proportions manifest his skill in structural graduation. Splendid oil varnish (some of it supplied by Harris of Gateshead) occasionally applied rather luridly, an influence associated with Hungarian makers, though unity of shading is never sacrificed and never any reduction of warmth. Acquainted himself with the acoustical properties of woods, chose them with the greatest acumen and decided on a plentiful thicknessing of the plates. Tonal quality full of vitality and clarity. £40 (1925). Not inappropriately became an experimentalist with the bass bar, indulged in years of research in hunting for the amelioration of tonal quality and ultimately fancied he had dis-discovered its so-called secret. This new procedure presents a bass bar much deviating in shape and position from the customary, so focalised and suspended as to give greater elasticity to the upper plate, and to circumvent any possible weariness of tone sometimes occasioned by age and much usage. Whether he found the “light” or otherwise, through the labyrinth of the imaginary darkness attached to this absorbing and controversial subject must be left to the findings of posterity. Also made violin cases of aluminimum. Produced cymbals and other indigenous instruments.
--------------------------------
Reményi Mihály
Op. 346 - Budapes - 1926
--------------------------------
(with design of violin resting on a book)
-------------------------------
Reményi Mihály
mu-hegedu készitóBudapest 1908. Op. 249
-------------------------------
(with many medals)
Some labels on pergameneous paper. £90, 1960.

REMENYI, LADISLAUS (LASZLO)
Son and pupil of Mihály. Born 1895. Gained experience at Hamburg and Paris. Return to father’s place. Very talented maker. Strad modelling with magnificent orange or yellow oil varnish of own formula. Exhibited at The Hague, 1949. Used same label as father, also -
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Reményi LászlóBudapest
1948 Op 110.
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(elaborate border and city Coat-of-arms, - some letters in red)

REMONDINI, ANDREA
Worked at Bologna, 1720-1725. Charming outline of skilfully arranged curvatures, somewhat Amatese. Scroll ingeniously carved. Sound-holes admirably drawn and positioned. Particularly soft quality of golden brown varnish.

REMY
A Parisian who settled in London, 1840. Particularly ingenious as an imitator of Cremonese instruments. Guarnerius and Maggini types being especially excellent. Tonal quality not gained in maturity owing to unhappy doctoring of the wood to get an old and worn appearance and a sweet tone. Stradivarian models varnished golden brown, other models usually a darker brown or red. Always handsome backs. Sometimes branded “Remy à Paris” or merely “Remy”, also fostered a fraudulent business by inserting well known labels. £60, 1960.

REMY, CHARLES
Born 1870. Worked for Thibouville-Lamy at Mirecourt, and for Silvestre at Paris. Established at Bondy, 1925. Died 1929. £45, 1960.

REMY, CLAUDE
Worked at Mirecourt, 1750-1789. Master in the violin makers’ Guild, 1761. Excellent modelling of rather broad proportions. Branded “Remy à Mirecourt”. £65, 1960.

REMY, DOMINIQUE
Worked at Mirecourt, 1776-1785. Made many “trade” instruments for French dealers. £25, 1960.

REMY, HIPPOLYTE
Eldest son of Jean Mathurin. Worked at Paris, 1837-1870. Well constructed models effectively varnished. Now winning endorsement from many orchestral players. Initials “H.R.” branded on or below button. £75, 1960.

REMY, JEAN MATHURIN
Son and pupil of Mathurin François. Born 1770. Worked at Paris. Died 1854. Instruments slightly under full size, rather similar to those of father in outline and arching. Workmanship not especially refined though edges are nicely rounded. Oil varnish very supple, of a walnut brown shade tinged with red. £45, 1960.
-------------------------------------
Jean Mathurin Remy
Luthier
rue de Grenelle-Saint-Honoréà Paris. 1824.
-------------------------------------
Also made a large number of “commercial” instruments. Branded in the form of a triangle where label is usually placed. £12, 1960.
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In urbe Cremona
Remy
--------------------
This brand has given rise to the fiction that a Remy worked in Italy. Many of the instruments are quite of common character, often with carved heads of men, women and animals. Wretchedly varnished with some dark brown stain.

REMY, JULES
Second son and pupil of the preceding. Born 1813. Worked at Paris. Died 1876. Made several neatly finished pocket fiddles. Also violins, violas and ’cellos. Name branded. £60, 1960.

REMY, MATHURIN FRANÇOIS
Worked at Paris, first in the rue Saint-Marguerite-Saint Antoine, 1760-1775, and in the rue Tiquetonne, 1775-1790. Violins much in the style of Guersan and Gavinies but less elegant than the former. Slightly under full size and arching sometimes medium. Handled his knife rather carefully and surely in the scroll and sound-holes. Oil varnish of golden yellow, yellow brown or reddish shades. Tonal quality fairly rich but with little power. £25. Produced several quintons, generally too highly arched and too plentifully wooded, the thicknesses not carefully graduated. Also ’cellos usually with a body-length of 29.9/16 inches. Top wood of good medium grain material, faintly figured maple for the backs (occasionally showing sap marks), and plain ribs. Well cut scroll sometimes with dotted circle branded along entire edge and floral tipped volute centre. Yellow brown varnish. Nicely rich and responsive tone. One instrument realised 900 dollars in the U.S.A. 1926. Also produced guitars and harps. Many excellent bows bear his name.
----------
Remy
Luthier
à Paris
----------
-----------------------------------
Remy
Luthier et Facteur de Harpe
à Paris
-----------------------------------
Sometimes branded “Remy A Paris”. £80, 1960.

REMY, NICOLAS
Worked at Mirecourt and Paris, 1740-1766. Early acquired considerable deftness with all the implements of the carver’s kit. Style somewhat on the lines of a Guersan, with medium arching. Scroll and sound-holes very attractive. Very narrow and accurately done purfling. Handsome backs and good belly wood. Sometimes too thin in wood as well as often chemicalised. Yellow or reddish golden shades of varnish. Tonal quality evenly balanced but rathet weak in power. Branded inside. £70, 1960.

RENAISSANCE, GEIGENBAU
Established at Rheydt (Germany), 1927.

RENAUDIN
Worked at Mirecourt, 1850-1867. Violin and ’cello bows. Excellent imitations of the Lupot style. Stamped “Renaudin”. £10, 1960.

RENAUDIN, LEOPOLD
Born at Mirecourt, 1755. Worked at Paris from 1776 (except for two years at Ghent, 1781-1783) to his death, 1795. Agitator and political interferer (in the days of the French Revolution), and as a member of the Tribunal Fouquier-Tinville, was guillotined with those of the jury known as “Les Solides” (The Strong). Shop sign - “Aux Amateurs”. Violins very unequal in workmanship and variable in design. Generally a longish pattern with very pronounced arching but occasionally one more Stradivarian in breadth and reduced arching. Graduation of the plates not by any means perfectly done, in fact quite often verging upon ugliness and bulginess. Scroll also has received inadequate treatment and disturbs the eyes no matter from which angle it is viewed. Originally an orange yellow varnish, much oxidised and now darkened to a dirty looking shade of brownish red; but one or two of the Stradivarian models have a rich reddish varnish. Such an assembly of constructive blemishes seem diametrically opposed to the issue of a fine tonal quality and yet some of these instruments reconcile the two apparently conflicting contradictions and are valued at £60. American dealers cataloguing them at 450 dollars. Produced several interesting violas. ’Cellos altogether superior to the violins. Made many excellent double basses (which he priced at 280 livres each), several being destroyed by the fire at the Paris Opera House, 1873. Labels, bearing on the left the Bourbon Fleur-de-lys within a gloriole, and on the right a fullrigged ship.
-----------------------------------------
Fait par Leopold Renaudin
Luthier de l’Academie Royale de
Musique à Paris, 1780.
Aux Amateurs.
-----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Renaudin. Luthier
Fait toutes sortes d’Instruments.
rue St. Honoré près l’Opéra
à Paris. 1784
----------------------------------------
Used a beautiful “carte-adresse”, having a finely engraved picture of four players performing a quartet (two violins, ’cellos and harp), surrounded by various ancient instruments hanging on the walls, and worded -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aux Amateurs
Renaudin Luthier de l’Academie de Musique
rue St. Honoré au coin de celle Jean St. Denis.
Fait toutes sortes d’Instruments de Musique, les raccomode,
les recoupe quand ils sont d’une forme trop grande, et
les remet en état. Il vent toutes sortes de Cordes d’Italie
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sometimes used this as a label in his guitars. Name occasionally branded on the scroll of violins and ’cellos. £90, 1960.

RENAULT, JACQUES
Worked at Paris, 1650-1690. One ’cello known dated 1664, well arched, no purfling and clear varnish. Also pocket fiddles, fancifully decorated and guitars. Branded “Renault”.
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Jacques Renault
Paris. 1681
---------------------

RENAULT, NICOLAS
Born at Nancy. Worked at Paris, 1570-1620. Viol maker to the Court of Charles IX. Said to have assisted Andrea Amati (when the latter personally visited the King of France to deliver several specially commissioned instrument emblazoned with the Royal Coat-of-Arms) in the final touches of decoration.

RENAULT, SÉBASTIEN
Worked at Paris, 1765-1811. Violins of rather robust but pretty modelling and neat workmanship. Yellow varnish, sometimes golden and occasionally dark orange, of moderate elasticity. £25. Violas of flattish arching, varnished old brown. Most agreeable and bright tonal quality. Also made lutes, guitars, cithers and harps. Went into partnership with F. Chatelain, 1780. £65, 1960.
--------------------------------
S-B Renault, Luthier
rue Sainte Avoy’ vis-a-vis
celle de Braque au marais.
Paris. 1804
--------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------
Renault et Chatelain, rue de Braque
au coin de la rue Ste-Avoye. A Paris 1797
---------------------------------------------------
(decorative border)
-------------------------------------------------
A la renommee rue de Braque au marais
Renault et Chatelain, luthiers,
font et vendent toutes sortes
d’instruments de musique, etc.
à Paris.
-------------------------------------------------

RENISTO
Worked at Cremona, 1735-1740. Pupil of Bergonzi. Style reminiscent of that of his teacher, except the arching, which is slightly more pronounced. Workmanship details not very carefully finished.
-----------------------------
Renisto Cremonae
alumus Carlo Bergonzi
fecit 17-
-----------------------------
Doubtful if a maker of this name existed. More probably a mis-reading of the words “Reuisto” or “Revisto” which means “repaired”. Therefore the instruments bearing the above label may have been “repaired in Cremona by a pupil of Bergonzi”.

RENNER, JOHN F.
Worked at Sandusky (Ohio), 1920-1926.

RENSTROM, HANS
Born 1865. Amateur at Orsa (Sweden). Violins, ’cellos and guitars. Name, place and date, written on the interior.

RENZ, EMIL
Bow maker at Wohlhausen, 1925.

RENZ, MAX
Born 1885. Worked at Breslau and Amsterdam. Established at Nagdeburg, 1925. Good copies of the ancients.

REPETTI, LUIGI
Born at Tortona (N. Italy), 1900. Impressionist painter. Constructed 60 violins of diverse modelling from year 1938 to 1948. Some having an innovated bass bar of own design. The greater part of the instruments carry fanciful names such as Rondine (Swallow), etc.

RESLE, ANDREAS
Worked at Fuessen (Bavaria), 1720-1756. Apprenticed to Georg Aman at Augsburg. General style quite reminiscent of the productions of Aman. Outline especially noteworthy and backed up by nicely graduated medium arching. Curves and slopes of scroll and sound-holes splendidly carried out. Equally generous exertions given to the purfling, resulting in continuous accuracy. Always chose his wood with the keenest intelligence and acquired some wonderfully pretty backs. Varnish originally of a lovely red brown shade which, in many instances, has now unfortunately darkened and lost most of its lustre. Tonal quality immediately ingratiating, no less to professional players than to amateurs. Connoisseurs too, need not be sceptical on this point. Body length, 35 cm.; upper bouts, 16; lower, 21. Probably the best maker who ever lived at Fuessen. £90, 1960.
----------------------------
Andreas Resle in
Fuessen me fecit 1727
----------------------------
----------------------
Andreas Resle
fecit Fiessae 1740
----------------------
--------------------------------------
Andreas Ressle Lauten und
Geigenmacher in Fiessen 1743
--------------------------------------

RESLE, JOHANN BAPTIST
Some instruments known with this name but place of emanation not given on the label. Probably worked at Fuessen, 1790-1795.

RESPINI, PIETRO
Instruments forming a sad retrogression from Brescian art. Squat and square looking design, which may be denounced as absurd and seemingly the “home-made” conception of a lowly amateur. Structurally under full size and arranged without fixed and undeviating rule of proportion. Large and bold scroll treated by an altogether unmanageable hand. Sound-holes (strangely well shaped and neat) seem out of place with surroundings of so much mediocrity. Belly wood of uneven and twisted grain. Dark shade of golden brown varnish patchily applied. Tonal quality weak and useless.
----------------------------
Pietro Respini
fecit Brescia anno 18-
----------------------------

RESTANO, J.
Worked at Buenos Aires. Specimens priced at £5 in 1896.

RÉSUCHE, CHARLES
Born at Mirecourt, 1858. Pupil of Didion, and worked with Gand and Bernardel at Paris. Established a workshop at Lyons with Justin Diter as partner, 1890. Settled at Bordeaux, 1897. Retired 1913. Expert copyist of the Stradivarian, Guarnerian and Amatese. Designs comprising the two essential properties, grandeur and grace, the whole representing all the constructional fitness to captivate players and connoisseurs. Fine quality red varnish. £65, 1960.
---------------------------------------------
Charles Résuche
Elève de Gand et Bernardel de Paris
No- Lyon. 18-
---------------------------------------------
(bearing two designs of the front and back of a shield, with C.R. on one, and a griffin-like animal on the other)
=============
Charles Résuche
Fecit anno - No-
----------------------
----------------------
====================
Charles Résuche
Elève de Gand et Bernardel
Fecit Anno No

RETFI
Established at Chartres (France), 1910.

RETOURNA, EMILE
Born at Begnécourt, 1856. Director of the Laberte-Magné Firm at Mirecourt, 1910. Died 1928. Invented a 7/8 size ladies’ violin which gained gold medal, 1895.

RETTBERG, RAOUL
Established at Boston (U.S.A.), 1902-1921. Instruments which show a pretty steady adherence to the elect models of Stradivarius and Guarnerius. Workmanship appropriately neat.
-----------------------------------
Raoul Rettberg
2 Park Square. Bostn. Mass.
-----------------------------------
(German lettering)
Specialist in fine grade artist bows for all stringed instruments.

RETYNSKI, BENJAMIN
Worked at Omaha (U.S.A.), 1900.

REUBAUSCH, JOHANN
Worked at Boscovitz, 1820. Not especially refined workmanship, few instruments.
--------------------------------------
Johann Reubausch
Bürger & Instrumentenmacher
in Poskowitz
--------------------------------------

REVALO VIOLINS. HEINRICH OHLHAVER
(Wholesale merchant and amateur violinist, resident at Sande near Hamburg, 1921), claimed to have the ability, through a secret process, to induct modern violins with the tone of a Stradivarius. Also stated that “at a spiritualistic sèance, the ghost of Stradivari appeared to him, and revealed his secret”, and thenceforth its transmission into modern violins was as “easy as the egg of Colombus”. Surmised by people of sober thought that this Ohlhaver “secret” is merely a bridge with sound amplifiers combined with a certain method of varnishing (coatings of Caoutchoucine - a light, volatile and impermeable oil). Violins, violas, ’cellos and basses treated with the process, built by a Berlin firm, and given the name “Revalo”. They had remarkable endorsement from eminent players and orchestras, all the “strings” of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra had them at the instigation of the conductor, Nikisch. Violins catalogued at £50. Tone proclaimed as exquisite, powerful, brilliant and absolutely pure.

REYNAERS, VICTOR
Born at Brussels, 1907. Studied violin at the Conservatoire and gained diplomas, etc. Constructive art appealed to him, 1947, and received advice from several Dutch makers, and soon produced first instrument on new theories of M. Sloss. Strad modelling, orange shade of varnish on golden ground.
---------------------------------------
No 2 V. Reynaers
Brussel
Eere-diploma der Internationale
Tentoonstellung van Vioolbouw
te a’en Haag 1949
--------------------------------------

REYNAUD, ANDREA
Ecclesiastic. Resident at Tarascon, 1750-1766. Violins - some recalling the style of Guersan, woods not always well chosen, excellent golden yellow varnish. Violas: body length, 39.7 cm. ’Cellos of small form, reddish brown varnish.
-----------------------------------------
Andreas Reynaud Olim canonicus
fecit Tarascon en Provence 1754
-----------------------------------------

RHYS, JAMES
Born at Pontycommer (South Wales), 1909. Studied with Schlieps (a Russian who was organising workrooms for invalided soldiers) at Bridgend, 1947.

RIBARITS (RIBARICS), JOHANN
Born at Ödenburg, 1840. Pupil of Grundler and Carl Brandt. Worked at Steinamanger. Died 1900. No fettered or stiffly circumscribed ideas about the modelling. Nothing confused or any erratic wandering in the cutting of the scroll and sound-holes. Also had intuitive conception of the application of varnish. £80, 1960.

RIBARITS, STEFAN
Son and pupil of Johann. Worked at Steinamanger, 1880. Died in 30th year. Produced several instruments of estimable tonal quality and workmanship. £60, 1960.

RIBER, JOHANN
Worked at Vienna, 1830-1842.
-----------------
Johann Riber
Wien. 1836
-----------------

RICARD, ALEXANDER
Born at West Shefford (Canada), 1861. French descent. Worked at Springfield (Mass), 1917. Died 1931. Cremonese models, yellow, brown and red shades of own formula varnish. Magnificently accurate and clean workmanship, and especially penetrative tonal quality. Productivity amounting to 400 (including violas).

RICARD, RAOUL
Born at Springfield, 1898. Son, pupil and successor of A. Mostly all violins (up to the year 1931) made in collaboration with father, also same label. Later productions show pre-eminent craftsmanship, favourably comparing with any moderns emanating from Italy or France.

RICCARDI, FÉLIX
Violin maker. Established 5183 Yerbal, Buenos Aires, 1925.

RICH, WILLIAM EVERETT
Born 1870. Resident at Ketchikan (Alaska), 1925. Stradivarian modelling, decks of high altitude Alaska spruce, and reddish brown oil varnish. Formulated a “secret” solution for rapidly ageing the tone.

RICHARD, FRANÇOIS
Worked at Paris, 1850-1870. Design and workmanship delightful to the eye and mind of the higher order of intelligence, although of Mirecourt style. Orange varnish proclaiming the maker’s innate aspiration for beauty. Tonal quality not inadequate for the soloist. £80, 1960.
---------------------
Francois Richard
Paris 1857
---------------------

RICHARD, ROBERT
Worked at Paris, 1740-1760. Dean of the Luthiers’ Guild, 1756. Specimens seldom met with. Far from perfect in every requisite of art, but no touch of crudeness in design or daubiness in varnish. Ordinarily worked instruments catalogued at a price not beyond the means of the common orchestral player.

RICHARDS, DON LOUIS
Born 1859. Died 1894. Son of Philip. Worked in Wardour Street, London. Thoroughly well-made instruments generally equal to anything that may be desired by the most fastidious expert. Theoretical principles completely mastered. Beautiful wood further beautified by superfine varnish and method of application.

RICHARDS, FREDERICK GEORGE
Born 1876. Architectural wood carver. Resident at Eastbourne, Tunbridge Wells, and finally at Torrington (Devon), 1947. Made (since 1935) thirty violins and ten violas, as a fascinating hobby and achieved satisfactory tonal results. Bold Stradivarian designs, especially graceful sound-holes, backs of very attractive figure and excellent transparent varnish. Also interested himself in making bows and bridges.

RICHARDS, PHILIP
Worked in Wardour Street, London, 1850; and in Noel Street, 1880-1883. Somewhat eccentric character known by the sobriquet of “Stony Richards”. Made four-stringed double basses for the 1851 Exhibition in London; now catalogued at £25. No special eyesight is needed, if with some degree of faith in English work, to appreciate his conscientiously conceived violins and violas.

RICHARDSON, ARTHUR
Born at Stavely (Derbyshire), 1882. Boyhood spent at Mansfield, a scholar at Brunt’s Technical School, and apprenticed as a pattern-maker in a foundry. Pattern-making requires great accuracy and ingenuity in the management of wood models for the multifarious types of metal work to be cast in iron. Had a stronger desire for wood carving, later studied the matter at the South Kensington School of Art, and ultimately worked professionally in several of the best architectural carving establishments. Possessed a violin made by grandfather (a versatile and capable musician), and learnt to play the instrument. Made first violin at Leeds (after much thought and experience in repair work), and its excellent result led to further efforts. Settled at Crediton (Devon), and was persuaded to take up violin making professionally by Meredith Morris (enthusiastic writer and connoisseur in the art), apparently a step he has never regretted. Day by day became more interested in exercising the full scope of his skill and inculcated the worthy fascination of making art work instruments, outside and inside, and continually strove to give them a tonal quality satisfying to the modern violinist and his listeners. Follows the master outlines of Stradivarius and Guarnerius, used his powers of observation and intuition like those old makers, and consciously (or perhaps uncorisciously) worked for an ideal tone. Had an extensive knowledge of the peculiar tonal and acoustical properties of the various woods. Meticulously studied the manifold graduations of arching and went into the matter of the different timbres of tone caused by the quality and process of varnish and varnishing. Produced over 100 violins, violas and ’cellos up to year 1924, and found purchasers in America, Australia and China. Won first prize in the Cobbett Competition for the best toned British violin, 1919, also gained a prize for a quartet of instruments. Six models, the Alard, Tuscan and Betts Strads, the King-Joseph and Sainton Guarneri, and one of his own on Stradivarian principles here and there slightly modified. Outline most delightfully graceful, with beautiful curves approaching the corners and magnificently conceived waists. Scroll exhibits all the cunning adroitness of the skilled wood carver and has an appearance of splendid dignity. Sound-holes drawn perfectly. Purfling without slightest blemish. Most minute graduation in the thicknessing of the plates, never too thin or too thick. Great discrimination in choosing quality and beauty of woods and never lacks the judgment to discern the particular method of treating individual types of material. Gets a fine tonal quality by legitimate means and has never been led astray by chemical finicalities or other eccentric and mischievous deviations. Tried several advertised varnishes on earlier violins and candidly admits that he was frequently “let down” by stickiness or being apt to chip, or a tendency to soften on a slight rise of temperature and other irritating weaknesses. Ultimately became associated with a chemist named Millington at Borrowwash (near Derby), became interested in his varnish formulas, and soon found substantial reasons for permanently using it. Particularly fine shades, very transparent, takes a velvety polish and has a priming specially designed to act as a foundation. Some instruments have a varnish (containing a good proportion of drying oil) which does not much penetrate the wood, but the tone, though very sweet, lacks the power demanded by the present age. Constructively and pictorially the Richardson violins are supreme and in the future the engrossing attention of important soloists must be drawn to them. £80, 1960.
------------------------
No.
Made by
Arthur Richardson
Crediton. Devon
------------------------
(monogram double circled)

RICHARDSON, FRANK
Worked at Canton and Caribou (U.S.A.) up to 1910. Gave 60 years of his life to playing and making instruments. Died in 90th year. Claimed to be the second maker (A. W. White being the first) to produce violins on American soil. 220 specimens came from his workshop. Irreproachable modelling generally, and workmanship well nigh faultless. Tonal quality much appreciated by many Americans particularly in the State of Maine.

RICHARDSON, GEORGE
Amateur. Resident at Ballarat (Australia), 1924. Wood worker by trade. First instruments greatly improved upon by incorporating the method of construction as taught by W. J. Farrell of “True Tone” fame. Achieved satisfactory results tonally and constructively. European and Australian woods used.

RICHARDSON, GEORGE
Worked at Nottingham, 1880-1895. Especially esteemed for some beautiful viols.

RICHAUME, ANDRÉ Born at Mirecourt, 1905. Worked with uncle Victor F~tique, 1927. Established at Paris, 1932.

RICHELME, ANTOINE MARIUS
Born 1832. Pupil of Yong at Marseilles. Established own workshop in the same city, 1867. Achieved considerable reputation. Died 1896. Author of a Treatise called “Studies and Observations on Ancient and Modern Violin Making” (published 1861). 100 pages illustrating with great ability several controversial points and espousing certain fundamental importances. Early instruments belong to the orthodox method of design and construction. Workmanship quite refined. Varnish of various shades, texturally splendid and transparent. Tonal quality fairly forcible and agreeably penetrating. £30. Formulated new principles of modelling, etc., 1883. Issued a pamphlet egotistically titled “Regeneration of the Violin and its Analogy to new Scientific Laws”, further stating, that by his theories he had obtained a superior quality of tone together with greater sonority than that possessed by any other instruments, ancient or modern”. These new theories were practically based on the much-debated experiments of Savart and Chanot, and really amounted to considerably modifying the curves of the upper and lower bouts, somewhat reincarnating the old viol shape. Called “Modèle Richelme”. Connoisseurs, players and makers have remained comfortably indifferent to his “regenerations” and his complacent proclamations have received their own stultification. Applied the new design to violas, ’cellos and double basses. Each instrument beautifully made but there all goodness ceases as the tonal quality never reaches the goal he aimed at. Heads frequently sculptured or ornamented. Splendidly made violin of Strad design preserved in Marseilles Museum, Arris of old Marseilles beautifully sculptured on the back, sides with a Latin inscription: “Humanas voce meis in fibris quatuor invenies”. Scroll of very nice curvatures, yellow orange varnish almost Cremonese, and edges with a gold covering.
-----------------------------------
Fait par Marius Richelme
Auteur et observations sur la
lutherie ancienne et moderne
No. 10 - S.C.P. composition
-----------------------------------
“Fait a Marseille 1886, Richelme” also inscribed on back interiorally. £75, 1960.

RICHER, O. H.
Worked at Montreal, 1885.

RICHMOND, MALCOLM F.
Born 1875. Resident at Falkirk, 1916. Pupil of Smillie (Glasgow). Alard-Strad and Paganini-Guarnerius models. Workmanship of fair standard, dark orange or glossy dark red oil varnish. Four ’cellos of large Stradivarian design.
----------------------------
Malcolm F. Richmond
Camelon. Falkirk
1923.
----------------------------

RICHTER, CHRISTOPH ADAM
Born 1685. Worked at Markneukirchen and Klingenthal, 1708-1735. Viols, lutes and violins.

RICHTER, JOHANN GEORG
Born 1692. Died 1732. Worked at Borstendorf.

RICHTER, KARL
Bora at Markneukirchen, 1880. Apprenticed in 14th year to Oscar Prager. Worked at Magdeburg and other places. Settled in Hannover, 1909. Appointed maker to the Court of Prince Schaumburg-Lippe. Modelling in accordance with the Stradivarian and Guarnerian. Various shades of varnish prepared from own formula. Made a quartet (of wondrous bird’s-eye maple of a type almost unobtainable) for the Prince, 1913. Awarded prizes at Exhibitions, favourably mentioned by the press and recipient of laudatory testimonials from important soloists. Tonal quality splendidly full, very responsive and of Italian timbre. £90, 1960.
-----------------------------------------
Karl Richter
Hof- Hannover.
Instrumnentenmacher Anno 1920
-----------------------------------------
(Hannoverian Coat-of-arms in centre)

RICHTER, OTTO
Born 1875. Son of Robert (Bow maker). Worked at Bâle, Carlsruhe, St. Petersburg, Markneukirchen and Zwickau. Died 1950. Excellent copies of standard models. £8, £10, £12, 1960.

RICKER, JOSEPH F.
Born 1873. Worked at Columbus, 1900. Produced 60 violins and 15 ’cellos up to the year 1944. Orange and red oil varnish. Also bows. Assisted by his son John J.

RICOLAZZI, DAVIDO
Worked at Cremona, 1735-1750. Violins nursed in a good school, and all parts so nicely developed as to favourably impress any adjudicator. Outline slightly under full size. Tonal quality possessing the effective unity of clarity and sonority. £125, 1960.
----------------------------------------
Davido Ricolazzi, fecit Cremona
in Via Lunga, 174-
----------------------------------------

RICOLAZZI, LUDOVICO
Worked at Cremona, 1730-1763. Small patterned instruments. Tonal quality delightfully matuye in mellowness, also very clear. Design and workmanship afford considerable visual enjoyment. £20 (1927). Three-guinea imitations now produced at the Thibouville-Lamy Factory, Mirecourt.

RICOLAZZI (RICOZALI), NICOLO
Worked at Civita Vecchia (Italy), 1742-1780. High arched modelling reminiscent of the Gigli. Margins greatly chamferred. Broad purfling of four filaments of wood. Belly and back of one piece. Sound-holes rather effectively positioned. Yellowish varnish. Tonal quality hollow and nasal.
-------------------------
Nicolo Ricolazzi
Civitavecchia. 1776
-------------------------
(written)

RICORDI, GIOVANNI
Born 1785. Died 1853. Originally a violinist and music-copyist. Established the music publishing firm at Milan now recognised as the largest in the world. Also had a repairing department, and traded in musical instruments.
---------------------
Giovanni Ricordi
Milano
---------------------

RIDER, G. C.
Worked at Portland (Oregon), 1908-1924.
-----------------------
“Orchestro”
G. C. Rider
Portland. Ore- - -
-----------------------

RIECHERS
Worked at Hannover (Germany), 1835-1848. Musician. Father of August. Made a few instruments of good design and workmanship. Complimented by Paganini for some repair to his famous Guarnerius.

RIECHERS, ALBERT
Eldest son and pupil of August. Worked at Wiesbaden and London, 1880-1892, and at Toronto and San Francisco, 1892-1900. Also a very efficient violinist.

RIECHERS, ANTON
Worked at Halberstadt (Germany), 1810. Sobriety of this Stradivarian modelling may appeal to some. Workmanship makes no marked impression. Well chosen material for the top and acoustically good. Reddish brown varnish. Fairly strong and moderately resonant tone.

RIECHERS, AUGUST
Born at Hannover, 1836. Pupil of Bausch at Leipzig, travelled to various cities, gained all possible practical experience and returned to birthplace, 1862. Moved to Berlin, 1872, after much persuasion from Joachim who soon gave him the appointment of repairer, etc., to the Hochschule. Died 1893. Produced over 2,000 violins and 200 ’cellos. It would be an absurdity to suppose that he actually made them all, even presuming he had no repairing to do. It is more than probable that the far major part was designed and varnished by him, but the several separate pieces were put together by his assistants. Followed (what he considered to be the ideal body-length) the Stradivarius model, 14-1/8 inches. Also Guarnerius. Arching of the back varying from that of the belly. Constructively adopted the method of Bagatella, consequently many of his productions are too thin in wood. Did not believe in oil varnish of any kind. Used a finely prepared spirit with a small adding of turpentine. Achieved best result with a lovely tawny yellow shade. Exceptionally fine quality of woods, richly acoustical and of great beauty. Artistic formation of his conceptions irresistibly impress but tonal quality often “misty” rather than strong and freely responsive. There is no doubt that his persistent advocacy in favour of spirit varnish and his ideas concerning the thicknessing of the plates, no matter what amount of technical skill he expended, prevented him from breathing into his instruments that real “spiritual” tone which is the principal attribute of the old master violins. Also made magnificent bows, practically investing them with ideal balance. Stamped “A. Riechers”.
--------------------------
August Riechers fecit
Berlin No. 346
AR
--------------------------
Early instruments branded-
---------------
A. Riechers
Hannover
---------------
World famous as a “restorateur”. Repaired over 300 Strads, all the great virtuosi flocked to him, connoisseurs and wealthy amateurs continually buzzed around his workshop, and the many violin students looked on with wondering eyes. Author of “The Violin and the Art of its Construction” (Lengnick). A thirty-six page treatise on the Stradivarius violin. Lucidly put matter not often paralleled, an ample storehouse of observations to exercise not only the amateur worker but the adept professional. If we do not always implicitly coincide with his opinions (which in such problematical matter cannot reasonably be expected), we can praise his learning and admire his years of experimental research. Riecher’s viewpoints on varnish: “I am of the opinion that the old makers up to 1750 used varnishes prepared with alcohol or essence of turpentine, but never of linseed oil or turpentine oil. My opinion is supported by the following fact. I acquired a Nicolas Amati lute which retained its beautifully thick golden varnish. For my information I removed this varnish, submitted it to a clever chemist for analysis, who failed to find any trace that linseed oil had been employed. One cannot suppose that Stradivari, who was responsible for more than 3,000 instruments, had the time to use linseed oil varnishes since they require at least six months to dry. Old varnish is porous and soft, also dissolves immediately in alcohol. With turpentine, solution takes place only after a long time. It is often asserted that the compounding of old varnishes (delighting the eye with their wondrous fire and transparency) is definitely lost. I am of a different opinion and place the modern varnishes on an equality, but what we do not know is how to scientifically produce the golden brown base which the wood of old violins has acquired through age and other influences.”
Comments of Henri Senn (an authoritative connoisseur and writer, resident at Paris): “The facts announced by Riechers are not so proving as he believed. The fact that a varnish is a long time drying only introduces a passage of time between finishing in the white and final delivery, and is no obstacle to a large output. Moreover, all oil varnishes do not take six months to dry, some, after four coats, dry in three Weeks during the summer. Again, many oil varnishes once dry are completely insoluble in oil or essence of turpentine, but come off easily with alcohol. There are some really soluble modern varnishes that have proved it.” Discoveries relating to Cremona varnishes have led to the conclusion that they had a base of hard copal gum, probably treated with oil yielding a varnish soluble in alcohol. Neither is it difficult to make the hardest copal resins soluble in alcohol though the treatment may not end up with a good varnish. On the other hand, the existence of 90 per cent of alcohol in old varnishes (as stated by Riechers) is very doubtful. It is, however, not impossible that the ancients had learned how to remove water from a varnish made with dilute alochol by the simple procedure of filtering through paper or exposing to the sun in a closed vessel. Riecher’s facts are not very novel and do not constitute an absolute proof that the old varnishes had an alcohol base.”
Riecher’s process of varnishing: “In order to obtain first of all a foundation coat, I treat the white violin three times with pure wood vinegar, which provides a brownish golden base. Then a coating of alcohol and balsam of Peru mixed in equal proportions. After drying, one or two coatings of a weak solution of gamboge or arnotto. Finally, twenty to thirty coats (according as one desiring a thin or thick varnish covering) of a varnish which I compound as follows. Three parts of sandarac and one part of mastic dissolved in coloured alcohol; to 1/2-litre of this varnish, I add ten drops of turpentine. As colouring matter I use turmeric and sandal-wood. In order to make the shade browner one can add a solution in alcohol of soot derived from turpentine. I have made innumerable tests with other resins and colouring matters, but have always returned to the above formula. Dragon’s blood must be discarded, its colour is not solid.” Senn says: “It is prudent to use the balsam of Peru only after a rather long exposure to air in order to eliminate useless volatile constituents. The soot from turpentine is obtained by moving a cold substance (clean sheet iron, porcelain) in the flame of a lamp having a long wick fed with turpentine.”
Riechers on the inside varnishing: “In repairing the many Italian instruments from the Amati-Strad period to not later than 1750, I found when polishing with a very fine glasspaper that I could obtain a smooth (even brilliant) surface which is never found with Tyrolese or German instruments of the same period. I attributed this appearance to the influence of the colophany on the wood, supposing that its fine dust had become incorporated with the wood forming a more or less thick layer. In order to make a practical test I took one of my violins (played on for several years), and its tone naturally well known to me, and I treated the inside with a coating of dissolved colophany. After drying and hardening I polished the inside and obtained the brilliant surface found in the old Italian violins. I felt certain I had rediscovered the process, but after regluing the plate I was scared by the vulgarly shrill tone the instrument had acquired. I had therefore obtained exactly the reverse of the desired effect, an unfortunate experiment, but later a happy guess came to my aid. I had occasion to repair a ’cello by Gasparo da Salo, which had never been opened nor much played upon, since it still possessed its original bridge. I discovered that this bridge was varnished, also that the inside of the instrument had been coated with some medium, doubtless to preserve it from dirt. Therefore, the old makers had found a suitable material and my supposition that they treated the inside and bridge with varnish became a certainty.”
Senn’s comments: “The author does not indicate other experiments to find the convenient material nor its proportions. He does not give the solvent for his colophany nor the quantity used. Furthermore, his single experiment has not great value since the result might have been different with a less copious painting. Other makers have put forward a similar hypothesis of an internal coating and some have good results with a dilute solution in alcohol of light essences which, on oxidation, leave a very light resin behind. But others absolutely proscribe the use of alcohol on bare wood. What should be proscribed are the atrocious interior stains too often used by certain factories, walnut dye, decoctions of wood, aniline dyes, all used to the greatest damage to the instruments. Coffee and chicory even are not spared. But none of these methods have any in common with interior varnishing, which no serious research has up to now shown to be advisable. The field of experiment, however, always remains open.”

RIEDEL, JOSEPH ALEXANDER
Born 1810. Died of cholera, 1866. Master cabinet maker at Braetz (Germany). Repaired violins, thus gained the usual knowledge of violin construction and set up ambitious ideas of violin creation. Became a professional maker, 1850; worked at Meseritz, 1855, and at Danzig, 1863. Produced about 18 instruments every week. First specimens of modelling absolutely belong to Tyrolese style. Details constructively accurate, workmanship most praiseworthy. Independently of incontestable talent he was fortunately a discriminate judge of acoustical woods. Imparted a splendid physiognomy to the scroll. Sound-holes felicitously arranged. Generally golden yellow shade of varnish fairly transparent. Later imitated the masterpieces of Strad and Guarnerius. Ardently aspired copies in which he has never lost sight of exalted dignity and the beautiful. Early labels written, subsequent ones printed. £90, 1960.
------------------------------------------
Joseph Riedel in Meseritz
nach Guarnerius, a 1858. No. 176
------------------------------------------
(not a pretty border)
--------------------------------
Josephus Riedel in Danzig
imitabat Anno 18-
--------------------------------
No. 2 generally placed under a copied label of Stradivarius, Guarnerius or Amati.

RIEDEL, MAX ALBERT
Born at Meerane (Saxony), 1880. Read textbooks, bought diagrams, and from these came inspiration. Produced first instrument, 1900, and completed about ten yearly. Established at Philadelphia (U.S.A.), 1925. Modelling entirely based on the Stradivarian, and creating elegance of outline with splendid adjustment of the arching seems to be without any apparent effort. Achieved the beautiful correctness of the original Cremona. Imbued the scroll with grace and dignity. As for the sound-holes and purfling they can be accorded nothing less than unqualified admiration. The important matter of fine woods always in evidence, acpustical fronts and handsome backs. Gold, orange and blood red shades of varnish applied with a very superior touch. Reedy, mellow and powerful tonal quality. An American soloist was so enamoured with the tone of one specimen dated 1925, that he willingly gave 600 dollars for it, and enthusiastically averred that “it not only plays brilliahtly but almost cries.” Customers waited with impatience for the termination of one of his never hurried productions.
-----------------------
Max Albert Riedel
Faciebat Anno 19-
Phila., Pa. U.S.A.
-----------------------

RIEDELE, MATHIAS
Worked at Augsburg (Bavaria), 1760. Died 1802. Pupil of G. F. Wenger, whose style he successfully imitated. Violins honourably maintain themselves on a fairly elevated plain, design and tone both being really excellent Violas built skilfully. Also conducted his hand in a very reputable manner in constructing ’cellos. Greater success accompanies his really splendid basses of rather reduced circumference.
-------------------------------
Mathias Riedele
Lauten u Geigen Macher
in Augsburg. fecit 1767
-------------------------------
--------------------------------
Mathias Riedele
lauthen und geigenmacher
fecit Augusta, anno 1783
--------------------------------
Some written in a rather neat imitation of German lettering.

RIEDEL, JOSEPH
Worked at Schönbach, 1780-1797. Outline and arching administer to our gratification. Excellent examples of Bohemian work. Yellow brown varnish considerably warm looking. Agreeable tone very easily produced £20.
----------------------------------
Joseph Riedl
Violinmacher in Schönbach
1789
---------------------------------

RIEDL, WENZL
Born 1854. Pupil of Siebenhuner. Worked at Ober-Schönbach, 1894. Subsequently at Watzkenreuth.

RIEF, ANTON
Worked at Vils. Born 1694. Died 1786. Excellent Tyrolese style, rather reminiscent of an Amati in outline and medium arching. Backs often prettily figured material. Golden brown varnish effectively applied. Tonal quality beautifully mellow but lacks brilliant clarity. £30, 1930. £65, 1960.
----------------------
Anton Rief in Vils
im Tyroll
1725
----------------------
(sometimes Tyroli)

RIEF, ANTONI
Worked at Vils, 1800-1815. Strongly expressed Tyrolese style. Took an expanded view of his subject and accordingly provided it with good acoustical woods. Varnish perhaps slightly meagre. Tonal quality of ordinary warmth and not powerful. £50, 1960.
-----------------------
Antoni Reif in Vils
1810
----------------------

RIEF, DOMINICUS
Born 1759. Died 1814. Son and pupil of Matthäus. Worked at Vils. Generally recognised as the best maker of the family, but we feel disposed to break a lance with the justness of this opinion. Admitting that the workmanship is quite nicely done, it may be fairly questioned whether the design is at all times (or at anytime perhaps) truthful to what we understand elegance to be. Outline fairly graceful but the table-land arching with its sudden rise from the edges is the antipodes of that appellative. Scroll neither pretty or rightfully proportioned, too much rise (like a swelling) on the upper part of the peg box, boss not in the absolute centre of the circling. Straightish sound-holes verging on ugliness. Purfling aspires to neater management. Good fibred belly wood and often plain material for the backs and ribs.
---------------------------
Dominicus Rief in Vils
im Tyroll, 1795
---------------------------
-----------------------
Dominicus Rief
Geigenmacher in
Vils in Tyrol. 1807
-----------------------
-------------------------
Dom—Rief
in Vils. Tyroli. 1792
-------------------------
Sometimes written.

RIEF, FRANZ
Worked at Munich, 1901. £5 trade violins. Excellent replications of the Italian models. Red and other shades of varnish effectively applied to give a worn appearance.

RIEF, JOHANN GEORG
Born 1765. Died 1848. Son of Matthäus. Worked at Vils. Sacristan at the Parish Church. Instruments bear a close resemblance to all others emanating from the Tyrol, and the peculiarities of that style are here successful, though the arching may seem too pronounced. Reddish brown varnish worthy of the wood and workmanship. Rather strong tone but not particularly mellow. £50, 1960.
----------------------------
Joh. Georg Rief in Vils
in Tyrol. 1794
----------------------------

RIEF, JOSEPH MATTHÄUS (1)
Son of Dominicus. Born 1799. Died 1848. Worked at Vils. His work makes slight divergencies from that of the various members of the family. Probably gained experience in other towns, as he was only 15 years old when his father died. However much one is inclined to regard unfavourably the characteristics of much Tyrolese construction, we must undoubtedly acknowledge the rather nicely wrought conceptions of this maker. Geometrical lines and proportions completely harmonised. Scroll shows the complete alphabet in carving, volute unusually broad. Sound-holes have a touch of originality. Light brown varnish, clear and elastic. Made several interesting experiments, including violins with double backs.
-------------------------
Joseph Rief Lauten
macher in Vils 1829
-------------------------
----------------
Verfertiget
von
Joseph Rief
von
18 Vils 32
----------------
(egg-shaped with leafy border)

RIEF, JOSEPH MATTHÄUS (2)
Son and pupil of Johann Georg. Born 1801. Died 1879. Worked at Vils. Similar work to the preceding, except that the form is slightly extended in fullness. Excellent tonal quality of its kind, moderately powerful and fairly sweet.
---------------------------
Joseph Matthaus Rief
Geigenmacher zu Vils
1857
--------------------------
(sometimes written)

RIEF, MATTHÄUS
Son and pupil of Anton. Born 1728. Died 1794. Worked at Vils. Model generally extending over 14 inch body length. Reduced arching equitably balanced. Liberal display of talent in the shaping of the scroll and sound-holes. Located in these worthy structures is a tone which we may justifiably assert mellow and of good resistance.
-----------------------
Matthaus Rief in
Vils in Tyrol, 1789
-----------------------

RIEGER, ANDREAS
Born at Mittenwald, 1836. Worked at Munich, 1870. Retired 1896, and returned to birthplace. Known as a repairer and connoisseur at the Bavarian metropolis but made several violins and ’cellos in his declining years.

RIEGER, ANTON
Worked at Mittenwald, 1780. All structural details accurately proportioned. Outline and arching typically Bavarian, graduating of the plates never of the discordant bulgy character. No ill-success attends the scroll and sound-holes. Splendid wood enhanced by a warm brownish varnish. Also produced several ’cellos of liberal tonal quality.
------------------------
Anton Rieger
Geigenmacher
in Mittenwald 1780
------------------------

RIEGER, CARL
Amatese modelling of quiet dignity. Medium grain belly wood and handsome material for back and ribs. Brownish golden varnish. Responsive tonal quality of fair penetrative force. £65, 1960.

RIEGER, F. J.
Worked at Niesse (Tyrol). Little known work.
------------------------------
Franciscus Jonas Rieger
musicus instrumentalis
Vyess Ao. Do. 1683
-----------------------------

RIEGER, GEORG
Worked at Mittenwald, 1760-1791. Did not contract the sphere of his operations by much adherence to Bavarian traits. Conceived a model somewhat reminiscent of the Ruggerius. Workmanship generally without serious blemish. Boss of scroll nicely approached. Excellent wood but not always appearing to the best advantage under the very dark shade of varnish. Considerably renowned for well modelled double basses.
-----------------------------------
Georg Rieger, Geigenmacher
in Mittenwald, 1767
-----------------------------------

RIEGER, JOHANN (1)
Born 1735. Died 1768. Worked at Mittenwald. Cut off in the prime of life and before his powe s had ripened into maturity. The few specimens he made during the short period of existence do not give posterity much chance to honour his name. Typically Bavarian in character, ordinary workmanship and brownish varnish.

RIEGER, JOHANN (2)
Worked at Mittenwald, 1810. Modelling and workmanship not to be classed much higher than the commonplace. Tonal quality not full enough to be sympathetic to link up much appreciation from amateur players.

RIEGER, JQHANN (3)
Worked at Mittenwald, 1850-1863. Retention of full modelling with its peculiar arching, has little compatibility with a fine and fresh tone. Long peaky corners distinctively inelegant. Sound-holes rather nicely drawn. Scrolls generally factory-made. Red brown varnish of fair lustre. Tonal quality valued at £15. Produced several double basses rather well thought of by theatre players. Worked largely for traders, and much of his work labelled according to their commands.
---------------------------------------
Johann Rieger Mittenwald 1860
---------------------------------------
(written)
------------------------------------
Johann Rieger
machte
Mittenwald an der Isar. 1852
------------------------------------

RIEGER, JOHANN NIKOLAUS
Born 1764. Son of Johann (1). Worked at Mittenwald. Died soon after reaching manhood. Whatever fame he acquired has long since dwindled. The original nice brownish tint of the varnish has now passed to an unpleasant dark shade. Belly wood considerably worm-eaten.

RIEGER, JOSEPH
Son and pupil of Philipp Jacob. Worked at Mittenwald from 1792. Died 1837. Modelling not characteristic of the customary Bavarian style but bears a near resemblance to the Stradivarian. Workmanship though not especially refined, is at least sufficiently careful in intent. No irregularities in the tracing of the purfling. Effective union of dignity and grace pervades the scroll. Sound-holes have the upper and lower apertures nicely proportioned. Generally one-piece backs of moderately pretty flame, and ribs of same material. Rich and deep orange shade of varnish. Tonal quality very pleasantly responsive. £25, 1930. £75, 1960.
-------------------------------
Joseph Rieger Geigen-
macher in Mittenwald an
der Iser 17-
-------------------------------
----------------------------------
Joseph Rieger Geigen und
Violinmacher in Mittenwald
an der Isser 1827
----------------------------------
(written
-------------------------------------------
Joseph Rieger
Instrumentenmacher in Mittenwald
an der Iser. 1830
-------------------------------------------

RIEGER, KASPAR
Born 1766. Worked at Mittenwald, 1790. Son of Johann (1). Nothing in the design greatly contributes to general satisfaction. Careless workmanship very obtrusive. No skill lavished on the varnishing nor especial care in choice of wood.
----------------------------
K. Rieger. Geigen-
macher in Mittenwaldt
1790
----------------------------

RIEGER, KORBINIAN (1)
Worked at Mittenwald. Died 1880. Talented craftsman who allowed traders to exploit his productions under various labels.

RIEGER KORBINIAN (2)
Worked at Mittenwald. Died 1926. Specialised in the building of ’cellos. Probably the best Mittenwalder of his time in this particular department. £125, 1960.

RIEGER, MATHIAS
Worked at Mittenwald, 1760-1767. Modelling rather suggestive of the Jais style, not of superior outline but with arching gracefully graduated. Scroll rather strikingly pretty. Sound-holes slightly stiff but not altogether inconsistent with artistry. Varnish quite meagre in substance and of a shade difficult to define.

RIEGER, PHILIPP JACOB
Born 1768. Son of Johann (1). Productions wholly belonging to the Bavarian style of that period. Fairly good outline and arching, but not treated to the most refined workmanship. Varnishing not particularly emulous of ideality. £15, 1925.

RIEGER, RUDY
Worked at Mittenwald, 1930. Specialist in making ’cellos and viol-da-gamnbas for traders.

RIEGER AND FIORINI
Established at Munich, 1892-1900. Violins, guitars and zithers.

RIEHL, M.
Worked at Geisenkirchen (Saxony).
---------------------------------------
M. Riehl in Geisenkirchen, 1885
---------------------------------------

RIELLER, JOHANN
Worked at Mittenwald, 1812.

RIEMANN, CARL
Dentist. Resident at Posen (Prussia), 1895. Interested himself in violin structure. Several productions have lion heads.

REIMER, J. G.
Worked at Wurzen (Saxony), 1880-1933.
----------------------
Repar.
von J. G. Riemer
Wurzen 1882
----------------------

RIEMEYER, ALBERT
Resident at Zürich (Switzerland), 1925. As an amateur he entered the world of violin structure through being impressed with the historic Cremonese. Consecrated much of his time to research, received invaluable aid from J. Hofmann, and ultimately could not repress the strong inclination to become a professional. Propounded certain original inner structural ideas. External imitation of oldmaster instruments rather unique. Claimed to have found the Cremonese secret and persuaded himself that he had transplanted the old, marvellous tonal qualities in all his productions.
---------------------------
Albert Riemeyer fecit
Zurich. Anno 19. .
---------------------------
(floral border)

REISENBERG, J. H.
Worked at Hamburg, 1825-1840. Splendid Stradivarian modelling and attractive varnish.
------------------------
J. H. Riesenberg
Hamburg Ao. 1834
den 14 en Dec.
-----------------------

RIESS, ANDREAS
Born 1720. Died 1777. Worked at Bamberg (Bavaria). Son and pupil of Joseph. Also an excellent musician and organ builder. Copied the Stainer modelling and achieved high arching which is not repellent to the eye. Exerted considerable taste and skill in the tracing of the purfling and sound-holes. Same amount of attention bestowed on the interior. Scroll heightened by certain minor details in the neighbourhood of the boss being well “picked-out”. Nice application of a deep shade of golden brown varnish. Tonal quality particularly sweet but debarred from unqualified approbation by its penetrative weakness. £30. Appointed repairer to the Bavarian Court, 1750.

RIESS, JOSEPH
Worked at Bamberg, 1710-1737. Well made Stainer models.
----------------------------------
Josephus Riess
Lautten-und Geigenmacher
in Bamberg, Anno 1719
----------------------------------

RIFRY, JOHANN
Worked at Fribourg and Lugano, 1630-1640. A few ’cellos and double basses known.

RIGHI, ANTONIO
Dyer. Resident at Modena. Amateur. Made several good basses.
------------------------------------
Antonius Righi, tinctor
Filius Ambrosii fecit Mutinae
anno 1817
------------------------------------

RIMBAULT, H. E.
Amateur. Resident at Cardiff, 1900. Productions marked by considerable depth and exact analysis. Workmanship progressive in refinement. Instruments the inevitable results of the never-satisfied craftsman.

RIMMER, THOMAS
Worked at Mittenwald, 1786. Bavarian style of modelling with rather full arching. Thickness based on incorrect theorems. Tonal quality nasal and misty. £15.

RINALDI, CELESTINO
Worked in “La Madonnina” at Modena, 1878. Not especially remarkable in design or workmanship. Art reality does not reach to ideality in the applying of the varnish. £80, 1960.

RINALDI, ENRICO
Established at Naples, 1895-1905. Violins generally of Guarnerian modelling. Body length slightly exaggerated to 14.13/16 inches. All details of workmanship predominating with refined finish. Beautiful varnish of a mahogany shade, applied with the magic touch of art, comparable with anything emanating from the oncerenowned Neapolitan School. Brilliantly large tone. ’Cellos also conceived by a similar wand or inspiration. £175, 1960.
------------------
Enrico Rinaldi
Napoli
1901. No. 70
-----------------

RINALDI, GIOFFREDO BENEDETTO
Worked at Turin from 1850. Died 1888. Pupil and fellow-worker of Pressenda. Author of “Classical Construction of Violins in Piedmont” (Turin, 1873). Interesting for the biographical and work details of Pressenda. Modelling perfectly true to that of his teacher. Brilliant varnish affording a richly gleaming spectacle. Tonal quality reveals itself in sparkling responsiveness. Also ’cellos which never overstep the line of the true in art. £250, 1960.

RINALDI, MARENGO ROMANO
Born 1866. Worked in Turin. Successor of the preceding. Almost every detail follows the excellent principles of Pressenda. Strong love of art, and ambition, carried him on a bright path to brighter fortunes and, led by the star of his predecessor’s genius, came safely to the artist’s goal. Golden yellow and reddish shades of varnish. Credited with possessing Pressenda’s recipe. Enjoyed the Winning of medals at Turin and Paris. Also produced beautifully inlaid mandolines.
-----------------------------------------
Marengo-Romanus-Rinaldi
Albensis, fecit Taurini Anno 189-
-----------------------------------------
“M.R.R.” in white letters on black background. £200, 1960.

RINGER, JOSEPH
Born 1844. Pupil of J. Werner. Worked at Absrath (Bohemia) and at Leibitschgrund, 1878-1908. Rather prolific in the production of cheap violins. Design and workmanship very satisfactory.

RINGWOOD
Worked with Perry at Dublin, 1790-1800. Subsequently partner with Wheatley employed several assistants and developed a prosperous “dealing” business. Name sometimes seen in Perry Violins.

RINOZZI, MATTEO J.
Period, 1790-1800. Physiognomy of the Amati, a contour that makes us stand still and look, and looking become charmed. Splendid varnish of dark shade. £40.

RIPALIMOSANO
Pharmaceutist at Campo Basso (Italy), 1860-1890. Several good violins of Gagliano and Cremonese modelling.

RIPPEL, CHRISTIAN
Worked at Glatz (Silesia), 1760-1770. Violas without purfling. Nice application of varnish on a correctly proportioned model.
--------------------------
Christian Rippel
Geigenmacher, Glatz
1765
--------------------------
(written)

RIPPON, ALFRED FERDINAND
Worked at Reading, 1860-1880. Modelling generally Stradivarian, but with ribs rather too deep. Well carved scroll, upper and lower curves especially attractive. Yellow brown varnish somewhat of a hard appearance.
---------------------------------------
Alfredus Ferdinandus Ripponus
fecit Readingensis 1875
---------------------------------------
(often on the right waist-rib)
Facsimile Cremona labels put in the usual place.

RIPPON, JOHN
Resident at Peterborough, 1830-1850. Carved some of the wood work in the Cathedral. Made violins of satisfactory outline and arching, nice varnish, fancy heads.

RITCHIE, ALEXANDER
Born 1873. Resident at Laurencekirk (Scotland). Maker of reeds for bagpipes and other wood-wind instruments. Produced 20 violins of quite ordinary workmanship.

RITCHIE, ALEXANDER
Born 1888. Amateur. Resident at Battersea Park (London), 1925. Excellent model on classic lines, capital workmanship, supple varnish and very satisfactory tone.

RITCHIE, ARCHIBALD
Born 1833. Worked at Dundee. Died 1902. Early specimens somewhat Stradivarian, dimensions a trifle fuller, spirit varnish of a pale brown shade, thinly applied. Subsequently fancied the Guarnerian which he steadfastly adhered to for the rest of his years. Productivity amounted to about 200. Appearance quite massive if not always majestic. Guarnerian proportions slightly enlarged but not improved, effect generally heavy looking. Edges left thick but with a nicely rounded ridge. Purfling as near perfection as a human can attain. Boldly-strong scroll exquisitely carved of natural swing and flawless curvature. Wood plentifully used, backs often of fine figure. Whitelaw’s varnish, usually a reddish shade and sometimes lacking suppleness. Large and firm tonal quality but not highly penetrative or suave.
------------------------------
A. Ritchie
Maker
No. 113. Dundee, 1895
------------------------------
(written in old English characters)
“A. Ritchie” stamped twice on the inner side of the back. Early violins have a printed label. “A. Ritchie in a semi-circle stamped below the button on the back. Some of the specimens have a small photo of the maker by the label.

RITCHIE, JOHN
Worked at Aberdeen and Dundee. Frequently gave distinctive names to his instruments. One viola named “The Thistle”.

RITTER, PAUL
Born 1867. Pupil of Neumärker. Worked at Schoneck (Saxony), 1887-1938. All stringed instruments, imitations of Cremonese and other models. Artistic workmanship and reliable tone. Also bows in the various standard styles. Inventor of a “Reform-Guitar” which abolishes the lefthand holding. Some instruments bear own label, others have the name of the particular model imitated.

RITTER, PAUL
Born 1896. Son and pupil of above. Died 1945. Similar designs, etc., to those of father.
------------------------------------------
Reparient Paul Ritter, Geigenbauer
Schöneck i Sachsen 1927
------------------------------------------

RITTIG, CRISTOFORO
Worked at Genoa, 1675-1693. Principally made ’cellos, satisfactory workmanship. Sound-holes extraordinarily large.
-------------------------------
Christopharus Rittig
fecit Genuae, anno 1680
-------------------------------

RIVA, SEVERINO
Worked for Monzino at Milan. Killed in the war, 1917, in his 32nd year. Made 20 violins of especially refined workmanship which carry his name on label.

RIVES, HARRY DALE
Born in Hancock County (Indiana), 1891. Pupil of Dr. Conger (Indianapolis). Established at Rockford (Illinois), 1920. General features belong to Strad or Guarnerius, but some details follow the “Sectio Aurea” ideas of Mockel for obtaining a quickly responsive tone. Formulated a special varnish, 60 per cent linseed oil, 40 per cent gum, with a percentage of Italian beeswax added to give flexibility to the filling and undercoats, finishing touches of orange shade, somewhat dry and brittle.
--------------------------------------------
Harry D. Rives
1338 Home Place Rockford, Illinois
Maker of Violins and Violin Varnish
Anno 1922
--------------------------------------------

RIVITTA, ANTONIO
Possibly a fabricated name. Maggini modelling, bird’s-eye maple (attractively tinted golden) for the back, belly of medium brown shade, very generous opening of sound-holes, beautifully bold and well posed scroll, double putrfling and little squares on back and viola-like tone of reasonable richness.
--------------------
Antonio Rivatta
Brescia. 1840
-------------------

RIVOLTA, GIACOMO
Worked at Milan, 1800-1838. Travelled southwards (in early days) in search of knowledge and employment. Went to Naples and the effect of the Neapolitan School operated on his sensibilities most advantageously. Modelling shows the fosterage of the Gagliano-Stradivarian design. Outline and arching rather artistically conceived. Often good-swing scrolls, not too bold, but not to be classed (as a few connoisseurs would have us believe) immeasurably above those of his prototypes. Workmanship variable but on the whole quite reasonably refined. Inside work provides approbation of his anatomical knowledge of sound Construction. Sound-holes not deficient in grace. Purfling executed with an unerring hand. Mostly light golden yellow varnish quite reminiscent of the Gagliano, occasionally one of reddish brown shade. Table wood frequently of medium grain, backs not consistently of pretty flamed material. 400 dollars realised in the United States. Rendered worthy justice to the Guarnerian design on some of his violas. Body length usually 16-5/8 inches. Excellent examples for appearance (yellow or reddish brown varnish) and rather bright tone, Sustained greater fame with finely constructed ’cellos, instruments honourably perpetuating his name among the most renowned virtuosi. Freedom of execution also distinguishes his guitars.
---------------------------
Jacobus Rivolta
fecit Mediolani, 1817
---------------------------
----------------------
Giacomo Rivolta
fece Milano, 1828
----------------------
----------------------------------------
Gracomo Rivolta
in Milano, 1805
all’ insegna del Santa Re Davide
----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Giacomo Rivolta
Nella Contrada de Sta Margherita
all’ Insegna del Sto Re Davide
Milano 18-
-----------------------------------------
Some labels have the design of a guitar.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Giacomo Rivolta fece, 1834
Premiato di medaglia d’argento indi diquella d’oro
per aver fatto risorgere la scuola del celebre Stradivari
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Received gold medal “for having revived the celebrated school of Stradivarius”. Published pamphlets concerning his “rediscovery of Cremonese varnish, and its possible superiority over any other”. £300, 1960.

RIZZAO, ANTONIO
Double bassist for many years at Undine (Italy). Constructed about 30 violins, some of which were exhibited at Fruli-Venzia, 1948.

RIZZOTTI, NICOLA
Amateur at Novellara (Modena), 1880. Excellent violins and ’cellos.

ROBELUS, J.
Born 1920. Studied with Diedonné and Collin-Mezin at Mirecourt. Worked at Ghent, 1946. Won diploma at The Hague, 1949. Splendid modelling of various standard styles.
------------------
Jules Robelus
Vioolboumer
Gent 19. .
------------------
(very unique design)

ROBERT
Worked at Montauban (France). Not flawless workmanship but excellent varnish.
------------------------------------
Robert, Luthier a Montauban
rue de la . . . . . . . . . . 1820
------------------------------------

ROBERTS, A. J.
Born at Primrose Hill (London), 1873. Maker of reeds for wood-wind instruments. Made about 20 violins of attractive designs and very neat workmanship. Opened a violin makers’ Guild at Hamsptead, 1910, and brought several previously unknown aspirants in the constructive art.

ROBERTS, ALLEN NEUBOLD
Born at Birmingham (England), 1866. Went to America in boyhood. Had a good musical education at Boston and soon became a violinist of more than average capabilities. Apprenticed in violin making to Clark Powers at Boston, 1889. Worked for John Gould at New York. Engaged with the Elias Howe Company at Boston, 1890, and produced first violin the same year. Twelve years in charge of the violin department of the Story Music Firm at Boston. Resident at Southern Pines (North Carolina), 1907-1927. Modelling exclusively after Guarnerius. Design and workmanship manifest a generous enthusiasm for his art, urged by a longing to create naturalness. Attentive care given to the scroll, sound-holes and purfling. Inside work denotes the experienced thinker. Shades of varnish vary from chestnut to yellow (the latter predominating), and the maker claimed for it certain properties concerning quality of tone. Always sought for the so-called Italian tone, had the luck of complete success in a few instances, others less sweet but of meritorious brightness, and none unworthy of ordinary good players. Produced various grades, “orchestral violins” realising 50 to 100 dollars, “solo violins” extending from 150 to 300 dollars. Built 250 specimens up to year 1926, and repaired nearly 3,000.
---------------------------------------
No. 244. A.D. 1925
Allen N. Roberts
Southern Pines, North Carolina
Maker since 1889
---------------------------------------
(brown-tinted paper - old English lettering)

ROBERTS, JOHN
Worked at Shrewsbury, 1690. Small Stainer model, dark varnish of poor quality. Fairly sweet tone.

ROBERTS, LEWIS
Born at Morriston (Swansea), 1868. Died 1917. Early instruments of original characteristics, somewhat heavy looking and of unsatisfactory tone. Later ones more in conformity with the Stradivarian.

ROBERTSON, JOHN
Patented a futile invention, 1858, for increasing tonal power, which advocated the grooving out of the inner surfaces of top and bottom plates so as to leave only the fibres standing out, thus claiming to give vibratory freedom.

ROBERTSON, J. H.
Amateur at Calperum (Australia), 1910. Fair modelling, varnish of poor quality.

ROBIN, MARCELLUS PIERRE
Born at Moulis, 1880. Double-bassist. Worked at Bordeaux, 1905-1927. Apparently a man with a sharply observant and well informed mind, one who has probed the problems of tone production to some real purpose. All the salient features of the Stradivarius distinguish the superbly finished modelling. Varnish of deep rose shade or a transparent red brown, somewhat recalling the old Venetian. Finely, brilliant tone, strong, which ought to have a glorious future. Label: having a border of interlaced crescents and a design of the Bordeaux Coat-of-Arms.
---------------------
Marcellus Robin
Bordeaux
Année 19- No.-
---------------------
All instruments bear his signature on the inner side of back and under the sound-hole on belly. Also branded at top and bottom blocks. Label of violins made by his assistants-
-------------------------------------
Fait sous le Direction de
Marcellus Robin
à Bordeaux
Année. . . . . . Numéro. . . . .
-------------------------------------

ROBINS, F.
Lived at Pilton, near Barnstaple (England). Emigrated to Canada. Returned to birthplace. Died 1890. Productivity rather large for an amateur. Narrow waisted modelling not particularly interesting. ’Cellos all too thin in wood.
--------------------------
1830 July 27
Frces Robins. Pilton
--------------------------
(on parchment)

ROBINSON, ALFRED GEORGE
Born at Ashford (Kent), 1879. Established at Willingdon (Sussex), 1938. Really splendid Strad modelling, everything reverential, flawless purfling, attractive scroll, all covered with a fine varnish most artistically applied.
------------------------------------------
Diploma of Honour
International Exhibition
The Hague, 1949
A. G. Robinson
Willingdon, Sussex, England, 19. .
------------------------------------------
------------------------------------
A. G. Robinson
19. .
Willingdon, Sussex, England.
------------------------------------

ROBINSON, ROBERT
Born at Wood County, near Sandusky (Ohio), 1851. Had direct and substantial encouragement from his father (R. C. Robinson - excellent craftsman, worked at Sandusky, 1840-1860). Made first violin in 16th year. Enthusiastically worked from sunrise to sunset, then felt the urge to travel. Worked at Des Moines, 1871-1877, Denver, 1882-1884, again at Des Moines, 1885-1891, Salt Lake City, 1891, Chicago, 1892, San Francisco, 1897 and Boston, 1899. During these twenty years of wandering, he gave and received those aids in the exchange of which is true progress. Took every opportunity of examining and measuring valuable violins pregnant with invaluable instruction, also many of lesser consequence warning him to avoid certain paths. Settled at Portland (Oregon), 1902. Three models: Stradivarius, Guarnerius and one of his own combining Cremonese characteristics. Arching judiciously discrimipated, the distances across the upper, middle and lower bouts being most splendidly proportioned. Scroll gracefully posed, the circling to the boss being satisfactorily accomplished, and in general appearance rather substantial. Sound-holes have the best qualities of minute finish. Oil and spirit varnishes, dark red, orange red, golden brown and yellow shades. Built about 200 violins, 10 violas and 10 ’cellos up to year 1928. In nearly every instance the production is meritorious and one which any violinist may desire to possess. Tables of some instruments made from the light-coloured Montana larch, supposed to give mellowness to the tone.
----------------------------------
Robert Robinson fecit
Bostonia. Anno Dom. 1900
----------------------------------
(with two R’s face to face within a circle)
----------------------------------
Robert Robinson. Fecit
Portlanda, Oregona. U.S.A.
Anno . . . . Jan 5 . . . . 1912
-----------------------------------
(written in imitation print, very sketchy border, and R within a circle)

ROBINSON, STANLEY
Son of William. Established at Abbey Wood (London). Maker of violins and violas, also noted as a good repairer. Instruments similar to those of father.

ROBINSON, WILLIAM
Born at Avebury (Wiltshire), 1880. Earned livelihood in early years as a saddler and attained a high degree of excellence in that craft. Ultimately became a resident at Plumstead (London). Practically self-taught in violin making. First instruments produced in 1910, and so satisfactory were the results that he was fired (after receiving encouragement from Dykes & Sons of Bond Street, London), with an ardent desire to make more, and so persevered in his new occupation with an untiring diligence born of a love of the pursuit that the condition of the “prentice hand” soon progressed to the status of the “master craftsman” whereby he crowned his labours by enriching the world’s stock of desirable instruments by about 400 violins, 40 violas and 16 ’cellos, up to the year 1953. Early dated instruments generally follow the large Amati model of 14.1/16 inch body length, or the Strad type of similar length, but his later and best specimens have Guarnerian characteristics. Many of these are really splendid in the matter of construction. Attractive outline, with arching admirably suited to it - extremely comfortable (at the upper part) for the player. Ingeniously cut sound-holes at which the most fastidious critic would not look askance. Neat purfling most admirable in its regularity. Edges finely rounded and appearance enhanced by the astute arching. All the salient parts of a scroll are brought to a harmonious whole. Backs and ribs generally of impressive flame. Good varnish of a warm looking brownish yellow shade, never over-polished. Finally (whatever little “secrets” he may have treated the interior to), he has achieved truly excellent results in free emission of a kind of mature tone that is a long way ahead of the rawness of new instruments. We are conscious of the hundreds of new violins springing up like mushrooms, and having little more than a mushroom’s stability, but many of Robinson’s instruments are of that, category which no cloud should cross on their future horizon, when the tone has completely matured and will capture the attention of the most dynamic bowist. Died July, 1960. £90, 1960.
-------------------------
William Robinson
Plumstead. London.
A.D. 19. .
No.- W.R.
-------------------------

ROBINSON, WILLIAM
Born 1882. Amateur. Resident at Wavertrec (Liverpool). Stradivarian sound-holes, Guarnerian Waist curves. Instruments having woods of especially good acoustical properties, painstaking workmanship to achieve excellent appearance and a likeable quality of tone. Light to dark orange varnish. £70, 1960.
----------------------------------------------
Made by
Wm, Robinson
2 Silverdale Terrace, Carmoyle Road
Liverpool.
Date April 1929.
----------------------------------------------

ROCCA
Worked at Genoa, 1760. Guarnerian outline and finely graduated flattish arching. Scroll cleanly cut, also having considerable originality. Manuscript label.

ROCCA, ENRICO
Son of Giuseppe Antonio. Born at Turin, 1847. Assisted from 10th year, in his father’s workshop, and gave considerable promise of becoming highly skilled. But when the family removed to Genoa, 1863, he, by a strange irony of fate, had to obtain work as a carpenter at the dock yard as his father had insufficient repairing to enable him to make a living. Remained there until 1878, then decided to resume the violin making art, regarded the whole matter very seriously and entered on the precarious path with heart and soul. Acquired all the implements used by his parent and earnestly set about maintaining the prestige and renown which was then becoming attached to the name Rocca. By sincerity and energy he achieved much deserving honourable posterity. Died 1915. Model approximating more to the Stradivarian than the Guarnerian. Well considered design treated with nicety of execution. Constructively perfect though of large dimensions. Scroll and sound-holes cleverly manipulated, and both elegant. Brilliant varnish of a brownish yellow shade. Sonorously full tone without newness. Superb artist in the art of imitating the age and wear of old instruments. All details so cunningly facsimiled as to deceive experienced eyes at a cursory glance.
-----------------------------------------------------
Rocca Enrico fu Giuseppe
Premiato alle Esposizioni
Milano 1881, Arezzo 1882, Torino 1884
Bologna 1888, Palermo 1892
Genova 2 Medaglie 1892-93
Fecit in Genova. Anno Domini 1896 I.H.S.
-----------------------------------------------------
Branded inside. £125 to £200, 1960.

ROCCA, GIOVANNI DOMENICO
Worked at Turin, 1800-1810. Modelling affords a fairly faithful imitation of the Guarnerian. Difficulties of scroll symmetry successfully disposed of, deep shade of warm looking varnish skilfully applied.
------------------------
Joh. Domin. Rocca
Taurini 1809
------------------------
(written)

ROCCA, GIUSEPPE
Worked at Genoa, 1854. Not to be mistaken for Giuseppe Antonio. Good Guarnerian model violins.Workmanship very carefully done.

ROCCA, GIUSEPPE ANTONIO
Son of Giovanni Domenico. Born at Barbaresco (near Turin), 1807. Pressenda had the merit of inducting him into the mysteries of the art, a fraternity which lasted for many years. Social qualities and splendid talent brought him quick success, and thus, possessing three elements generally considered essential to the enjoyment of existence - youth, sedulous attention to his profession and the pecuniary means accompanying it, contrived to pass the best years. of his life. However, towards 1863 certain irregular habits brought about extravangancies outrunning his purse, that he determined, with his family, on a removal to Genoa, promising himself to set heartily to work to replenish his banking account and to eschew the several pleasurable but dangerous lapses that had previously disorganised the routine of daily occupation. All went well for a time, then his difficulties increased to such an extent that life was abruptly ended by drowning, 1869. Violins date from year 1828. Those of Stradivarian principles top the others, and mostly dominate his productivity. Every detail copied to the minutest degree. Guamerius modelling also frequently attracted him, and here he treated everything with delightful subordination to the original design, absolutely avoiding those exaggerations occasionally to be found in the instruments of not a few other copyists. Maggini copies likewise came from his hands but only seldom did he exercise his ingenuity on this particular model, and generally speaking he follows it with less fidelity than that accompanying his other productions, double purfling perhaps being the sole exact characteristic. Workmanship always done with that certainty engendered by complete assurance of “travelling” without the slightest hesitation, no matter how difficult the curves. Edges sometimes slightly pronounced and turned up, but beautifully rounded off. Scrolls, in their infinite variety, never lack unity of both sides, full swing and dignified pose, altogether producing an approving verdict from the most fastidious of connoisseurs. Sound-holes and purfling also show that in grace and neatness he eatered for the perspicacious eye of any observer. Belly wood generally of beautifully straight and narrow vein. Backs mostly of one piece, cut on the quarter, always handsomely flamed. Occasionally mahogany has been substituted for maple. Early dated violins often have a somewhat thin and hard looking varnish, also displaying little mastery of shading, but as the years passed, marked improvement naturally ensued, and that on the later dated is fairly rich in texture, not lavishly applied excepting the reddish shade which sometimes goes to the other extreme of being too thick. Colour and density very varied, light yellow through reddish brown to deep red. Finest instruments have a delicate rose colour or reddish brown but neither ever reaching the peculiar richness of the Cremonese. Tonal quality very strong, brilliant and splendidly penetrating, now reaching an almost glorious maturity in roundness and mellowness and having the future of a conspicuous place in the wide arena of a soloist’s necessities. The Messie Strad gave him the fullest expansion of his skill, although he featured other Stradivarian types.
Measurements: Body length, 14 inches; upper bouts, 6.9/16; middle, 4-1/2; lower, 8.3/16; depth of ribs, 1-1/4 bare to full. One wealthy amateur paid 15,000 Francs (according to a 1925 report) for a “Messie” of Rocca, but we think this has the touch of journalistic exaggeration at that period. One dated 1841, Peter Guarnerius modelling, deeply carved scroll, thick reddish varnish and fine wood, realised 2,000 dollars in the U.S.A., 1925. In England (1948), catalogue prices soared to £400. Today (1960), £650 to £800. Some instruments varnished very similarly to the Pressenda, in red. Rocca specimens known with Pressenda labels, and Pressenda instruments subjected to Rocca labels. Name also associated with a few inferior productions seemingly un-Italian and concerning these the report has been widely circulated to the effect that Rocca purchased the instruments in white from a French manufactury and varnished them himself. Best period seems to be from 1838 to 1855. Also produced violas, ’cellos and a few double basses, each variety equal to the other in standard of design and fullness of tone. Several people in Italy and England are now very industrious with their well constructed “fakes” of a Rocca labelled and branded in the usual fictitious manner.
---------------
Rocca figlio
fece Torino
1830
---------------
--------------------
Josephus Rocca
Taurini 1830
--------------------
-----------------------------------
Joseph Antonius Rocca fecit
Taurini anno Domini 1842
-----------------------------------
(GTR and a centre design placed within a large circle, on left)
--------------------------------
Joseph Rocca fecit
Taurini anno Domini 1843
--------------------------------
(GTR within a small illuminated circle on the left)
----------------------------------------------
Joseph Rocca fecit
Premiato di Medaglie alle Esposizione
di Torino, Genova, Londra e Parigi.
Taurini, Anno Domini, 1858
-----------------------------------------------
(I.H.S. placed under the Italian Cross on the right)
“G.R.” branded on the blocks, sometimes at the lower extremity of scroll, also in centre of back.

ROCCHI, SESTO
Born at San Polo d’Enza (Reggio Emilia), 1909. Studied at Parma, also pupil of Bisiach (Milan). Amatese-Strad modelling, golden reddish varnish. Also violas, ’cellos and double basses.
-------------------------------------
Rocchi Sextus Regiensis-All.
L.Bisiach.Faciebat Anno 1935
-------------------------------------
-------------------------------
Sextus Rocchi
Regiensis fecit 1948 S.R.
-------------------------------
(with signature)

ROCCUS, P.
Born at Bologna. Resident at Florence, 1680-1702. ’Cellos of Amatese model, refined workmanship and transparent yellow varnish.
-----------------------------------------
P. Roccus Dom: us le Bonis fecit
Florentie anno Salatis 1696
-----------------------------------------

ROCKWELL, DAVID B.
Worked at Boston, 1886, Providence, 1901, Detroit, 1908, Philadelphia, 1915, Hartford (Connecticut), 1920; and New York, 1923. Though violinists find their happiest and most constant pleasures in handling the violins of old Italian makers, yet they frequently feel their curiosity powerfully excited and sometimes amply rewarded by specimens distinguished as more or less replicas of the older school. Rockwell violins have much of the elegance of the older Italian and French Schools. They have none of those minor faults which occasionally mark the modern violin when subjected to slight departures from traditional construction. Beautiful shades of orange and reddish varnish prepared from own experiments. Tonal quality rather persuasive and of considerable carrying power. ’Cellos also of rather superior construction. Name branded on many excellent bows.

ROCKWELL, EDGAR G.
Born at Houlton (Maine, U.S.A.), 1883. Initiated into the art by his father, Joseph H. Established at Akron (Ohio), 1920-1926. Produced about 30 instruments.

ROCKWELL, HARRY V.
Born at Houlton, 1878. Son and pupil of Joseph H. (excellent maker established at Brockton (Mass), and later in New York. Went to Providence (Rhode Island), 1900, and opened premises as J. H. Rockwell & Son). Died 1951. H.V. made at least 250 violins, violas and ’cellos up to the year 1941. Early instruments follow the various Cremonese models. Developed an entirely new model, 1922. Oil varnish of the purest quality, also perfected a filler which penetrates the wood and brings greater prominence of the grain and curls, thus giving an old Italian appearance. Exhibited at The Hague Exposition, 1949. Branded (in addition to label) with initials under tail pin.

RODIANI, GIOVITA
Born 1545. Worked at Bologna and Brescia. Died 1624. Fétis designates him as Javietta (also Juvento) Budiani, Vidal gives his name as Francesco Budiani, but Rudiani or Rodiani is the correct appellation. Son of Giovanni Francesco (made lutes and cithers, 1510-1540), lived in the Contrada della Tresanda di Santo Rocca, Brescia. Mentioned in the local records as “Ser Jovita Rodiani che fa violini in Brescia”, or as “fabricator a violinis”. Made lutes, violas, viol-da-gambas and contrabasses. No violins known. Violas of first period fully represent the style of Gasparo da Salö with whom he probably worked. Later specimens unfold the characteristics of the Maggini so much so, that they have been sold as the genuine products of that maker. Superior workmanship from top to bottom. Amber coloured varnish finely tinted with red. Tonal quality particularly sombre-like but gloriously sonorous and full bodied. Several three-stringed bass viols have been converted into four-string basses.
---------------------------------
Giouita Rodiani In Brescia
---------------------------------

RODIER BROTHERS
Worked at Kansas City (Missouri), 1915-1927. Joseph E., Claude, and a third. Violins, violas and especially ’cellos.

RÖDIG, JOHANN
Born 1888. Gained medals at Cremona and Padua. Worked at Landshut (Bavaria), 1946. Individualistic modelling.

RODIG, R.
Resident at Düsseldorf, 1916. Amateur, little known.

RODIN, AXEL GUSTAV
Born 1913. Resident at Sundsvall (Sweden).
----------------------------------------------
Tillverhad ar 1946 av G. A. H. Rodin
Sundsvall
----------------------------------------------

ROEDIGER, AUGUST
Worked at Aschersleben, 1890; and Magdeburg, 1914.
-----------------------
August Roediger
Aschersleben 1892
-----------------------

ROEDIGER, KARL OTTO
Born at Dörna near Mühlhausen (Thuringia) 1887. Descendant of a musical family. Took up violin making from a deep inclination and liking for the art. Even in those days he had strong urge to make discoveries and technical observations, and to completely develop them. Settled at Leipzig, 1914-1926, First instrument produced in 1914, completed two yearly since, Stradivarian modelling. Wood prepared by a secret de-resinification process of his own. Golden yellow varnish of own formula. Violins technically perfect in construction, superb external appearance and with a tone suitable for any soloist.

ROEPCKE
see RÖPCKE.

ROESCH.
see RÖSCH.

RÖESCHER
see RÖSCHER.

ROESCHER, WILLIAM
Worked at Scranton (Pennsylvania), 1908-1927.

ROESELMÜLLER, AUGUST HERMANN
Born at Markneukirchen, 1855. Worked at Dessau, 1900. Died 1914. Business carried on by widow. Conscientious workmanship.

ROESER, JOHANN
Worked at Würzburg (Bavaria), 1872-1880. Notified the public that he made “Violins in the Cremonese Manner”.

ROGER, G.
Worked at Montpellier (France), 1820. Instruments somewhat belonging to the Nicolas-Mirecourt style, but occasionally he seems to have gone in pursuit of more natural grace. Yet the tone is neither solid or mellow, but rather to be designated as consumptive - tired out. Did he adopt the contemptible practice of faking the wood to get a temporary sweetness?

ROGERI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA
Born at Bologna about 1650. Fellow student of Stradivari in the workshop of Nicolò Amati at Cremona. Worked at Brescia, 1670-1728. On looking at these rather exquisite violins, admiration is awakened by observing how the whole spirit of the Cremona school has descended on them, and how the maker penetrated with much depth into the “secrets”. Modelling generally adheres to the Amati. Several specimens re-labelled with the more celebrated name and disposed of as such, even sometimes deceiving connoisseurs. Two models: large (rather scarce) and small. Measurements of one dated 1707, body length, 14-1/8 inches; upper bouts, 6.9/16; lower, 8-1/4; ribs, 1-1/4.
Measurements of one dated 1728, priced at 4,000 dollars by Wurlitzer at New York, 1921: body length, 13.15/16 inches; upper bouts, 6-1/4; lower, 7.13/16. Arching quite full, but not extravagantly so, and of a gloriously effective gradient. Outline and arching form a most attractive contour. Edging highly finished, pretty corners never drooping like some of those of his son, margins finely full and flat. Scroll of desired fineness, large but not heavy looking or out of proportion to the rest of the instrument, of splendid uniform breadth outside the curve leading to the boss, and a very graceful approach of the peg-box to the throat. Sound-holes not typically Amatese but somewhat resembling those of the early Strads, of charming appearance, inner edge neatly cut before merging into the lower curve or turned round at the top. Very occasionally others are less elegant. Belly wood chosen with a knowledge of its properties, generally slab backs of striking figure, rarely of plain material. Purfling not consistently accurate. Beautifully soft textured varnish, golden red or brownish red shades, applied with a consciousness of genuine artistry. All this foreshadowing that electric and soul kindling tonal quality desired by soloists, sonorous brilliancy and viola-like depth, both wondrously mature. ’Cellos of equally fine sonority, strongly and attractively built, justifiably extolled and very highly valued. Backs sometimes of poplar wood.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Jo. Bap. Rogerius Bon: Nicolai Amati de Cremona
alumnus Brixiae fecit. Anno Domini, 1679.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Sometimes in red lettering but mostly in black. “Bon” - an abbreviation of Bononiensis: meaning “of or from Bologna”.
-----------------------------------------------------
Jo. Baptista Rugerius Nicolai Amati
Cremonae alumnus Brixiae fecit anno 1709
-----------------------------------------------------
£1000 to £1500, 1960.

ROGERI, PIETRO GIACOMO
Son of the preceding. Born at Brescia, 1675. Trained in the Amati workshop of Cremona until 1699. Worked at Brescia, 1700-1735. Most of his instruments naturally show strong influences of the Amati, but there is also something rather Stradivarian. At any rate the outline and arching are attractive, notwithstanding the frequently extravagant corners of the upper bouts, having a peculiar droop, and rather sharply pointed. Beautifully posed scroll, perfect curvatures, refined carving. Wood happily chosen and covered with a lustrous reddish varnish probably not surpassed by any Cremonese. Specimen dated 1721: body length, 13-7/8 inches; upper bouts, 6-3/8; lower 7-7/8. Specimen dated 1725: body length, 13.15/16; upper bouts, 6-1/2; lower, 8.1/16; ribs, 1.3/16 to 1-1/4.
One example dated 1721 realised 3,000 dollars in America, 1922. Violas that have evoked much admiration from connoisseurs and players. ’Cellos especially magnificent - Piatti used one as his principal solo instrument. Flat modelling, broad corners, backs sometimes without purfling, golden yellow or red varnish. Double basses also set up a fine standard. £1250, 1960.
--------------------------------
Pietro Ruggeri
in Cremona f. anno 1698
--------------------------------
-------------------------------------
Petrus Jacobus Reggerius
de Nicolai Amati Cremonensis
fecit Brixiae, 1708
-------------------------------------
----------------------------
Petrus Jacobus Rogeri
fecit Brixiae, 1716
----------------------------
--------------------------------------
Pietro Giacomo Rogerius filius
Joannes Baptiste. Brescia 1721
--------------------------------------
-------------------------------
Petrus Jacobus Rugerius
fecit Brixiae 1725
-------------------------------

ROGIERI, DOMENICO
Worked at San Valentino Reggio (Italy), 1750-1760. First instruments nicely modelled after the Amati. Careful workmanship on unstinted wood. Sometimes exceedingly neat double purfling. Golden yellow varnish of really pleasing quality. Tonal quality of fair power and clarity. Subsequently descended to produce cheap violins, used second-rate woods, no purfling, and painted the flames across the back. Some instruments bear labels that they were made in Cremona and Brescia, falsifications of course. £450 to £650, 1960.

ROGERS, GEORGE
Resident at Conlig (Ireland), 1900. Stradivarian modelling of average workmanship, also attractive varnish.

ROHDIN, ARTHUR
Born 1900. Amateur at Lagan (Sweden).

ROHT, JOHANN
Worked at Nürnberg, 1665-1678. Violins and violas strongly tinctured with the old foundations and grooves of thought. Workmanship has all the cohfidence of a sure hand. Best woods nicely adorned with a clear varnish discriminately and cautiously applied. Tonal quality not of the frequently impoverished and mediocre of many Bavarian instruments.
--------------------
Johann Roht
16 Nürnberg 72
--------------------

ROISMANN, JOHANN
Worked at Breslau, 1630-1684. Made violins in the style of Tielke, particularly in the purfling. Utterly defeated his rise to eminence by medicere workmanship. Unquestionably such affairs, devoid of beauty or nice tone, are rightly priced at £15. Varnish has nothing to win admiration. Produced many fancy fiddles, some made of porcelain, of no value except as bric-à-brac. Name sometimes wrongly given as “Rosmann”. One violin preserved at the Paris Conservatoire, golden arabesques on front, back and ribs, jewels on fingerboard, ivory head and further decorated with the Arms of France; made for Louis XIV.

ROL
Worked at Paris, 1750-1760. Instruments from a skilful hand, justifying considerable admiration.
---------------------------------------
Rol Luthier
à Paris 1756
Cour Saint-Denis de la Chartre
---------------------------------------

ROLIN
Pupil of Cousineau, 1790. Careful workmanship, ordinary Mirecourt design, good but dullish varnish, tonal quality not truly happy.
---------------------------
Rolin luthier de Paris.
---------------------------

ROLINI, GIAMBATTISTA
Worked at Pesaro, 1471. Accredited by some historians as the “first” maker of violins.

ROLLA, FERDINAND
Worked at Fiesole (Italy). Chiefly violas of 17-inch body length.

ROMAN, RAY
Refugee from Europe, working in San Diego, California, U.S.A. Very fine workmanship and varnish. Also a skilled musician.

ROMANINI, ANTONIO
Worked at Cremona, 1700-1730. Instruments affording but insipid entertainment to the mind tinctured with the liberality and elegance of the best Cremonese makers. They exhibited a certain excellence of outline, but as this is united to a stiffness in the sound-holes and a kind of semi-vulgarity in the scroll, we cannot suppress a wee bit of censure mingling with our admiration.
-----------------------------
Antonio Romanini fecit
Cremonae, anno 1708
-----------------------------
-------------------------------
Antonio Romanini fecit
Cremonensis. anno 1740
-------------------------------

ROMANO, CLEMENTI
Worked at Como (Italy). Died 1949. Violins and ’cellos of Guadagnini modelling, neat workmanship and transparent varnish.

ROMANO, PIETRO
Worked at Pavia (Italy), 1735-1760. Style not perfectly classical. Scroll in particular, has a touch of semi-barbaric cutting. Tonal quality peculiarly charming.
-----------------------------------------
17-
Pietro Romano in Borgo di Pavia
-----------------------------------------

ROMBOUTS, PIETER
Born 1667. Died 1740. Pupil of Hendrik Jacobs (his step-father). Set up as a “Fiolemaker” in Amsterdam, 1700. Implicit attachment cannot be preferred to these accentuated high built violins. It is said that he also made a few of Amatese modelling, several sold as Italian. Workmanship fairly correct but not especially refined. Scroll not entitled to much commendation. Wide wood purfling, Occasionally whalebone purfling carelessly done. Sound-holes not at all well carved, the stem having an inartistic width at the middle and very narrow at top and bottom, also careful graduation non-existent. Red brown varnish of brilliant hardness rather thick, dry and resinous looking - not particularly pleasing. Fairly robust tone but without satisfactory mellowness, and there is no concealing the fact that its peculiar timbre is an almost insuperable barrier to the instruments ever reaching beyond the value of £100. Violas (not quite so high in arching) quite superior to the violins in tonal clarity and sonority. ’Cellos have received much praise from connoisseurs. Scrolls especially, have a most graceful back curve. A few heads carved as lions or satyrs. Though generally of fine workmanship, the instruments undeniably lack the tonal vigour necessary for modern players.
----------------------
Pieter Rombouts
Amsterdam. 1714
----------------------

ROMEGREN, ARFROID
Born 1680. Resident at Kattorp (Sweden). Died 1737. Violin (much in the style of J. G. Mohte) preserved at the Lund Museum.

ROMER, ADOLF
Born 1863. Worked at Freiburg (Baden), 1892-1928. Good violin technician in youthful years. Recipient of several exhibition medals. One of those clever makers who maintains a high place in the regard of connoisseurs. Handsome copies of well known Italian models, designed with much scientific knowledge and deserving of respectable attention from violinists. Intimate ingenuity of craftsmanship generously extended to the scroll and sound-holes. Wisely restrained himself from indulging in any new notions concerning the inside working. Prettily marked wood and oil varnish. Also produced “viols for small hands” called the “Romer Instrument” having a remarkably responsive tone, altogether unique gems of art. Inventor of a very serviceable peg for all stringed instruments. £90, 1960.
-----------------
Adolf Romer
Frieburg i B.
fecit 1894
----------------
---------------------------------
Adolf Romer
Hof-Geigenmacher
Freiburg i B.
No. 92 faciebat anno 1911
---------------------------------
(bearing the royal escutcheon)

ROMIEUX AND BERNEY
Pupils of Pupunat. Founded the violin making firm “Union Artistique” at Geneva, 1893. Recipients of several medals for fine workmanship.
----------------------------------
Union Artistique
Luthier soignée réparations
Genève
----------------------------------

ROMNEY, GEORGE
Celebrated artist-painter (1734-1802). Lived at Dalton and London. Musical enthusiast, fairly good amateur violinist and wood carver. Built a violin expressly for himself, ornamented the back and scroll with elaborately carved designs and frequently played on it when desirous of calling up inspirations for his pictures. Interesting specimen, certain quaintness of style, few departures from the recognised principles of construction, admirable scroll, neat workmanship, pale yellow varnish, tone of excellent quality. Owned by Hill & Sons, London.

RONCHETTI, DOMENICO
Worked at San Valentino (Italy), 1756-1771. Of little value.

RONCHINI, RAFFAELLO
Worked at Fano (Italy), 1850-1866. Some Stradivarian traits combined with the characteristics of a C. G. Testore. Workmanship not irreproachable. Backs of small figure material. Brownish yellow varnish without an under-ground. Tonal quality not particularly sonorous or clear. £90, 1960.
-----------------------------
Rafaele Ronchini, Fece
in Fano, Nummero 4
del 1851
-----------------------------
Some excellent bows bear his name.

RONDANI, ERNESTO
Worked at Turin, 1885-1906.

RONNEL, SVEN ALFRED
Born 1877. Resident at Stockholm. Won gold medals, 1921 and 1925. Produced 300 violins up to year 1949. Splendid designs mostly Stradivarian. Reddish brown varnish attractively applied.

ROOK, JOSEPH
Choralist at Carlisle Cathedral. Amateur. Worked 1807-1852. Really well finished and sonorous toned violins, realised £20 to £40 (1920). Also a few equally successful ’cellos.

ROOS
Worked at Strassburg, 1850-1875. Constructed double-basses with two bass bars. Innovation which perhaps gave greater volume of tone but not fine sonority.

ROOS, JOHAN
Worked at Amsterdam, 1580-1592. Six-stringed viol-da-gamba of immature workmanship, dark reddish brown varnish in the local museum.
--------------------------------------
Johan Roos, Amsterdam. 1585
--------------------------------------

RÖPCKE, JOHANN FRIEDRICH
Worked at Wismar (Mecklenburg), 1845-1874. Long and narrow pattern. Carefully regulated method of construction which ought to assure a good tone, but as the woods are so manifestly indifferent the tore is neither strong or smooth. One-piece backs, reddish yellow varnish.
-------------------------------
Johann Friedrich Röpcke
Instrumentenmacher
in Wismar. Anno 1862
-------------------------------

ROPE, ALFRED JAMES
Born at Norwich, 1862. Enlisted for a soldier, 1879. Made first instrument at Aldershot Barracks, 1890. Resident at Woolwich, 1927. Modelling generally Stradivarian or Guarnerian. Styte and workmanship of early specimens show the untutored eye and hand, arching sometimes of peculiar rise from the edge, inaptitude rather than originality. Made over 200 instruments, therefore we get obvious improvement, though never reaching beyond the ordinary. Also several violas and ’cellos. Oil varnish very light yellow to red shades. Sometimes too thin and other times too plentifully applied.

ROSA, AGOSTINO
Worked at Rome, 1790-1800. Principally mandolines. Only a few violins known.
-----------------------------------------
Agostino Rosa figlio
di Nicola Napolitana l’anno 1795
Roma
-----------------------------------------

ROSADONI, GIOVANNI
Born 1905. Resident at Pavia. Excellent Strad modelling, nicely thick golden yellow varnish.

RÖSCH (ROESCH), ANDREAS
Worked at Mittenwald (Bavaria). Much that is agreeable in the outline and arching. Considerable care in workmanship. Habitual brown varnish of the Bavarian school. Label: written to imitate print and with calligraphic decoration.
---------------------------------------
Andreas Rösch in
Mittenwald an der Is, ano 1796
---------------------------------------

RÖSCH, JOHANN JOSEPH
Son of Joseph. Born 1763. Worked at Mittenwald. Modelling very amateurish. Design affords a complete memorandum of inartistic ineptitude. Proportions wholly inaccurate. Varnish insipid and almost colourless.
-----------------------------------------
Johann Rösch. Mittenwald, 1790
-----------------------------------------

RÖSCH, JOSEPH
Worked at Mittenwald, 1750-1767. Violins bearing considerable conformity with those of Klotz and Stainer. High arching not particularly graceful in graduation. Brown varnish of no special merit.

RÖSCHER, CHRISTIAN HEINRICH WILHELM
Cabinet maker at Bremen, 1865. Died 1880. Instruments by a very capable craftsman, though not art creations. Excellent tonal quality proves his assiduity of purpose and scientific knowledge. Stradivarian modelling, bold scroll, graceful sound-holes, carefully chosen wood nut brown varnish.
--------------------------------------
C. H. Wilhelm Röscher C /H
fecit Bremen Anno 1878. W/R
--------------------------------------
Some instruments anti-dated 50 or more years: possibly emanations from Saxonian factories.

ROSELLI, ANTOIO
Born 1798. Worked at Sassuolo (Modena). Died 1870. A person rather presumptive in hoping to succeed as a barber, painter, violinist, clarinet player, and maker of stringed and wind instruments In spite of his versatility he often failed to make both ends meet and was reduced, to vagrancy. Produced several violins arid violas of quite ordinary style. Tonal quality quite insufficient for modern players, vigorous bowists would soon realise they were traversing an exhausted field.

ROSENDAHL, GUSTAF
Born 1876. Amateur at Nälden (Sweden).

ROSENFELD, LOUIS
Established at Kansas City, 1910. Stradivarian and Guarnerian characteristics with own scientific principles.
----------------------------
Lo. Rosenfeld
Kansas City Mo. 19. .
----------------------------
(copperplate - also monogram)

ROSETTER, PHILIP (FLIP)
Englishman. Citizen at The Hague, 1650-1675. Recorded as “musicant and fioolmaeker”.

ROSIERO, ROCCO
Worked at Cremona, 1720-1735. Splendid modelling in Stradivarian style. Specimen realised 4,000 francs at Paris, 1923.

ROSILLI, SALVATOR
Worked at Rome, 1790-1802. Graceful model, good workmanship, yellow brown varnish. Very nicely executed sound-holes.
---------------------------
Salvator Rosilli fecit
Romea anno D. 1794
---------------------------

ROSIO, PAOLO
Worked at Verolanova (Italy), 1860-1871. Especially good double basses.

ROSS, A. C.
Born 1904. Amateur. Resident at Moscow (Idaho), 1935. Stradivarian modelling for violins and ’cellos, double basses constructed on original conceptions. Dark red oil varnish.

ROSS, DONALD
Born at Ederton (Scotland), 1817. Inspector of forests apd waters. Died at Edinburgh, 1901. Constructed about 50 violins, generally Maggini model. Yellow spirit varnish. Fair workmanship. Free tone required by the dance violinists of his day. No label or signature. Several now circulated with a fictitious label having the name of Maggini.

ROSS, JOHN
Name sometimes given as Rosa and Rose. Maker of viols and lutes. Worked in London, 1560-1600. Advertisement in the “Tripla Concordia”, 1667 - “There is two chests of viols to be used, one made by Mr. John Ross who formerly lived in Bridewell, containing two trebles, three tenors and one basse. The chest was made in the year 1598”. Made the instrument known as Queen Elizabeth’s lute, a species of guitar-cither, with ten strings to be tuned in five pairs of unisons. Inventor of the Pandora, 1560. One viola is known dated 1598, back of bird’s-eye maple, dark varnish and a carved woman’s head scroll.
----------------------------------------
Johannes Rosa Londini fecit,
in Bridewell, the 27th July, 1580
----------------------------------------

ROSSANI, SALVATORE
Worked at Milan, 1920. Handsome appearance, healthy tone of fair quality.

ROSSBACH
Five makers of this name worked at Markneukirchen. Adam (1732-1800); August Hermann (1833-1894); Adam Friedrich (1766-1836); Christian G. (1776-1843); Friedrich G. (1801-1860). All worked for dealers.

ROSSBACH, KURT RICHARD
Born at Markneukirchen, 1889. Worked at Cremona, Berlin, and in Holland. Subsequently referred to as “The Hollander”. Good workmanship.

ROSSI, DOMENICO
Worked at Piacenza, 1870-. Died 1910. Splendid replicas of famous old Italian violins.
---------------------
Domenico Rossi
fece in Piacenza
Anno 1903.
---------------------

ROSSI, EMILIO
Born 1895. Son and pupil of above. Good ’cellist. Won gold medal at Cremona. Individualistic modelling, reddish yellow varnish.
--------------------------------------------
Rossi Emilio Liutaio
Premiato con Medaglio d’oro
Tecnico per riparazioni
a strumenti a corda.
Piacenza. Via Castello 66-Piacenza.
--------------------------------------------

ROSSI, ENRICO
Son and pupil of Giovanni. Born 1848. Worked at Pavia (Italy). Modelling after Guarnerius, Stradivarius, Testore, Guadagnini and others. Excellent designs imitated to a nicety. Straw coloured varnish, a pale golden yellow of average quality (own preparation), a charming shade, noticeably an entire absence of hardness from having been carefully rubbed down, which assists the luminous tone that has been communicated to it. Strongly wooded instruments. £90, 1960.
---------------------------------
Enrico Rossi
Fabbricante d’istrumenti a
corde
Pavia. Piazza del Carmine
1888
---------------------------------
(bearing design of a medal)
Partnered by his son, Guglielmo (born 1875). Label from about 1900-
--------------------------
Enrico Rossi e Figlio
Pavia. 1908
--------------------------

ROSSI, FERDINANDO
Worked at Modena (Italy) 1880. Workmanship of fairly free manipulation. Varnish somewhat cold-looking. Appearance and tone not to be especially praised.

ROSSI, GAETANO
Son and pupil of Nicola. Worked at Milan, 1870-1883. Specialist in double basses. Workmanship carried out with every attention to accurate classical character, as well in design as in varnish. Also violins and ’cellos, the latter being slightly superior. Reddish varnish rather thinly applied. Ordinary tone. £10 (1925). Guitars and mandolines. Branded “Rossi G. Milano”.

ROSSI GIOVANNI
Pupil of Pallota at Perugia (Italy). Established own workshop in same town, 1819. Worked at Pavia, 1847-1858. Double basses treated with great skill and in strict deference to traditional principles. Constructively excellent violins of classical design and wooded with the best acoustical material. Scroll and sound-holes gracefully posed. Varnish nicely harmonised. £150, 1960.

ROSSI, GIUSEPPE
Born at Florence, 1868. Studied the art at Cittadella (Padua) from an extensive collection of Cremonas. Made first instrument in 17th year. Built 600 up to year 1925. Established at Albano Laziale (Rome). Won gold medals and diplomas at Livorno, 1908, Rome, 1908, 1917, 1918, Bologna, 1898 and Padova, 1893. Maker and repairer to the Royal Musical Institute of Saint Cecilia and the Royal Conservatorio. Knighted. Various models but greatest success with the Stradivarian and Neapolitan. Oil and spirit varnishes of a golden yellow shade. Superfine art work from every point of view. Also violas, ’cellos and double basses.
-------------------------------
Giuseppe Rossi
da Cittadella (Padova)
fece in Roma Anno 1909
-------------------------------
---------------------------------
Cav: Rossi Giuseppe
da Cittadella (Padova)
Fece in Roma. Anno 1924
---------------------------------
(two kinds, one plain, the other much larger and with design of a woman stroking a lyre)
£125, ’cellos £250, 1960.

ROSSI, NICOLA
Worked at Milan, 1842-1844. Violins substantially built and well designed. Dragon’s blood red varnish. Also produced fine-toned double basses.
---------------------------------------
Nicola Rossi
Fabbricatore e ristauratore
d’istrumenti a corda armoniche
Abita in Milano
Contrada S.Mattia alla Moneta
al Civico 3137
fece nell Febraio dell
1844
--------------------------------------

ROSSINI, GIOVANNI MARIA
Worked at Ravenna (Italy), 1765-1777. Force of true accuracy of design is here felt. Captivating graduation of flattish arching. Excellent quality of varnish. Prettily conceived lion’s head. Exceedingly round and mellow tone.
-----------------------------------
Johannes Maria Rossini fecit
Ravenna A.D. 1775
-----------------------------------
Name branded in two places.

ROSSIO, GIOVANNI
Worked in the Via dei Serviti, Rome, 1880-1910. Violins, ’cellos, guitars and mandolines.

ROSSMASSLER, EDWARD
Born 1878. Amateur. Resident at Chadds Ford (Pa), 1935. Pupil of Drouin (New York). Violins of Amatese and Guarnerian modelling, reddish brown or golden yellow oil varnish. ’Cellos modelled on that of a Goffriller, back, sides and scroll of Brazilian walnut.

ROST, FRANZ GEORG
Born at Jöhstadt (Saxony), 1869. Apprenticed to August Voigt at Markneukirchen, 1883. Worked for Paulus at Leipzig, Hammig at Dresden, Louis Otto at Düsseldorf, Laumana at Budapest, and Zimmermann at Leipzig. Established own workshop in London, 1903-1922. Principal repairer for the Wurlitzer Company, New York, 1923. Resident at Astoria, Long Island (New York), 1927. Returned to London, 1932. Modelling mostly after the celebrated violins of Stradivarius and Guarnerius. We unhesitatingly respond to the unique assemblage of niceties here displayed. Clever finely-large scroll, robust but not heavy looking. Those who can appreciate grace will look more than once at the sound-holes. Acoustical worth of wood eagerly sought out by him. Soft oil varnish very transparent, shades varying from a light orange to a deep red; own special preparation. A few of his early London violins have a reddish brown shade giving to the instrument quite a common appearance. Died 1960. £85, 1960.
---------------------------------
Franz Georg Rost
13 Amery Row, Brook St.
No. 6. London W. 1904
---------------------------------
(always written)
--------------------------------------
Franz Georg Rost
238 Goldhawk Rd.
Shepherd’s Bush, London, W.
1923
--------------------------------------
Instruments made in London after 1934 are labelled -
-------------------------
Franz Georg Rost
44 Lexington Street
London. W.C. 1943
------------------------

ROST, KARL
Worked at Königshutte (Upper Silesia), 1908. Moved to Bielefeld (Westphalia), 1920.

ROTA, GIOVANNI
Worked at Cremona, 1770-1810. Some affirm his period to be round about 1705, but they have been led astray by ante-dated labels. Productions completely at variance with the Cremona school, descending not infrequently to a level quite as low as the most meagre toned of the Tyrolese. Occasionally however, a brighter specimen appears on the horizon. Workmanship generally of the easy-going and non-critical order. Body length, 35.5 cm. Imperfect belly wood, backs seldom pretty. Negligent purfling, hard yellow varnish on the inferior examples, warmer reddish yellow on the superior.
-------------------------
Joannes Rota fecit
Cremone anno 1805
-------------------------
---------------------------
Joannes Rota fecit
Cremonae anno 1808
---------------------------

ROTA, GIUSEPPE ANTONIO
Worked at Turin, 1820-1830. Instruments very reminiscent of the Pressenda and Rocca, though workmanship is not so immaculate. Nice flat arching, splendid wood, reddish brown varnish.
--------------------------------
Joseph Antonio Rota fecit
Taurini anno Domini 18-
---------------------------------
Sometimes assumed that the instruments came from the workshop of Rocca, and that he inserted the above label in the less highly finished examples. £125, 1960.

ROTA AND SON, G. B.
Established at Milan, 1845-1870. Violins suitable for orchestral purposes deserving of promulgation. Bold and flat modelling, strong looking scroll, neat sound-holes though verging on the straight. Fine grain belly wood, yellow brown varnish.
--------------------------------------
G. B. Rota e figlio
Fabbrica di Strumenti da corde
Milano 1863
--------------------------------------
£90, 1960.

ROTELLA, BERNARDINO
Worked at Spoleto (Italy), 1815-1830. Ordinary workmanship.

ROTH, CH
Established at Strassburg, 1855.
------------------------------------------
Magasin d’Instruments de Cordes
Ch. Roth
Facteur d’Instruments
18 Place Kliber à Strassbourg
Abonnement et vente de Musique
et de papier de musique
------------------------------------------

ROTH, CHRISTIAN
Born in Saxony. Went from market to market to dispose of his productions. Probably all made at Markneukirchen, but dated as from other and larger towns. Worked at Prague, 1675, and at Augsburg and Nürnberg, 1706-1714. Amati or Stainer modelling, often very high arching. Workmanship “rough and ready”. Brown varnish generally of common appearance. Tonal quality hollow and often quite feeble.
-----------------------------------------
Christian Roth, Violin und
Lautenmacher aus Prag. Ao 1701
-----------------------------------------
(German lettering)

ROTH, ERNST HEINRICH
Born at Markneukirchen, 1877. Son of Gustav Robert. Worked for many years with father, established own firm, 1920. Died 1948. Superb modelling whether Stradivarian, Guarnerian, Amati or Guadagnini. Those of the highest price are made from the beginning to the end entirely with his own hands, and his versatility cannot be spoken of too highly. Every instrument shows individuality, whether his own special model or the various prototypes imitated. Only the finest grades of wood, all judiciously chosen for tone production. Superb varnishing (generally golden brown of Cremonese elasticity), as are all the little details of construction which build up a fine instrument. Named “Violins for the Artist”. Marteau, Felix Berber and other virtuosi have given testimonials. Cheaper productions emanating from his workshops all supervised and tested by him before sent in circulation, and the varnishing always solely his doing. Catalogued from £20 upwards. Also perfectly graduated bows, mostly imitations of the Tourte, pernambuco sticks. Name “Ernst Heinrich Roth” stamped in the customary manner above the saddle.
-------------------------------------
Copy of Antonius Stradivarius
made by
Ernst Heinrich Roth
-------------------------------------
----------------------------
Ernst Heinrich Roth
Markneukirchen, 1924
Reproduction of
Antonius Stradivarius
Cremona, 1725
----------------------------
----------------------------------
E. Roma.
Warenzeichen No. 550116.
Ernst Heinrich Roth
Markneukirchen
----------------------------------

ROTH, ERNST HEINRICH (JUNR.)
Head of the violin department at Selmer’s, New York, 1930.

ROTH, GEORGE FRIEDRICH
Worked at several towns in Saxony, 1750-1790. A few violins of commonplace Stainer modelling are known.

ROTH, GUSTAV ROBERT
Bow maker at Markneukirchen, 1875. £10.

ROTH, HERBERT
Born 1909. Pupil of Oscar Zimmer at Markneukirchen. Worked at Nürnberg and Dresden. Subsequently co-operated with teacher. Excellent copies of standard models. Instruments branded “Christoph”.
-----------------------------------
Herbert Roth gen. Christoph
Geigenbaumeister
Markneukirchen
gefertigt. . . . . .
----------------------------------
(designs of a violin and viol)

ROTHHAMMER, CARL
Born at Budapest, 1881. Pupil of Pilát. Worked in Austria, Germany, Holland, Australia and several towns in U.S.A., finally (1930), at San Francisco. Specialist in replicating old master violins. Spirit or oil varnish.

ROTHMÜLLER, FERDINAND
Born at Vienna, 1851. Established at Graz, 1887. Died 1912.

ROTTENBURGH, FRANÇOIS
Worked at Brussels, 1771. Name often wrongly given as Rottenbrouck and Rottembourg. Copied the Amati outline with fair success but general appearance rather Tyrolese. Brown varnish also reminding of the Tyrolese.

ROTTENBURGH, JEAN ALBERT
Worked at Brussels. Died 1764. Lute player and violist. Produced several lutes and viols. Violins and violas of Tyrolese-Amati style. Design and varnish exhibit little fertility of fancy.

ROTTENBURGH, JEAN A. JOSEPH
Born 1642. Died 1720. Worked at Brussels. Lutes and viols rather Bavarian in style.

ROTTENBURGH, JEAN HYACINTHE
Worked at Brussels, 1730-1754. Good Amatese outline and arching; occasionally a small proportioned Guarnerius outline of moderately flat arching. Dark reddish brown varnish thickly applied.
------------------------------------
Jean Hyacint Rottenburgh
major fecit a bruxelles. 1753.
------------------------------------
(written in small lettering)
-----------------------------------
Jean Hyacinthe Rottenburgh
Bruxelles
-----------------------------------
(written)

ROTTOLA, INNOCENTE
Worked at Milan 19-. Work unknown to the author.

ROUDHOFF, D. AND A.
Born in Russia. Trained in French workshops. Worked in Charles Street, London, 1830-1850. Violins aBd guitars. Branded “Roundhoff à Londres”.

ROUDHLOF, FRANÇOIS
Born at Mirecourt, 1781. Alsatian parentage. Pupil of Breton. Worked at Paris in association with Mauchand. Died 1849. Violins and ’cellos, first-class Amatese modelling, yellow varnish. Especially known for decorative guitars. Branded “F. Roudhlof Mauchand”; sometimes with date.

ROUGIER, MAURICE
Born 1907. Worked at Toulon, 1935. Won diploma at The Hague, 1949. Individualistic modelling. Various shades of varnish, with preference for dark red.

ROUKOVSKY
Worked at Bello Cerkov (small town in Russia), 1890-1906. Produced about 100 violins. Esteemed by many professors in Kiev and other Russian cities. Stradivarian modelling with comparatively slight modification. Designs of considerable nobility. Superb workmanship. Pretty backs, varnish as clear as the sun after rain. Excellent, stirring tone.

ROUMEN, LOUIS (LODEWICH) WILLEM
Worked at Groningen, Utrecht, and Amsterdam, 1802-1850. Through his agency, violin making made considerable progress in Dutch towns. Modified Stradivarian modelling demanding attention, though not of ultra refined workmanship. Very flat at the edges. Scroll of strong import. Large and broad sound-holes not really neat, brownish red or dark yellow varnish free of discussion, backs generally of one piece. Tonal quality not to be disparaged concerning its strength or clarity.
---------------------------
L. W. Roumen fecit
Amsterdam Ao. 1826
---------------------------
-------------------
Amsterdam
L. W. Roumen
-------------------
Succeeded by his son, Johannes Arnoldus (worked from 1845-1876). Instruments altogether happy in design, woods and varnish. Sometimes conspicuous purfling of dark wood.

ROUSE, J.
Resident at Oakham (Rutland), 1808-1820. Ordinary workmanship. Violins and ’cellos of Stainer modelling.

ROUSSEL, ANDRE
Born at Paris, 1888. Made scientific investigations in density of woods for amelioration of tonal sonority, 1925. Collaborated with the Brothers Millant and produced a large number of violins, violas and ’cellos of varying success. Resident at Voorburg (Holland), 1942. Received diploma for a violin (signed “Millant. Roussel”) at The Hague, 1949.

ROUSSELOT
Work unknown, principally repairer.
---------------------------
Reparé par Rousselot
à Marseille en 1830
---------------------------

ROUVROT, S.
Worked at Mirecourt. Stradivarian modelling, fair workmanship.
-----------------------
Sébastien Rouvrot
à Mirecourt, 1760.
-----------------------

ROVATI, CRISTOFORO
Worked at Bazzano (Italy), 1785-1795. Ordinary instruments of various designs.

ROVATTI, LUIGI
Born in Italy, 1861. Pupil of Joseph and Enrico Rocca. Established at Buenos Aires, 1885. Died 1931. Produced 1,000 instruments including violins, violas, 100 ’cellos, and guitars. Superior workmanship Rocca models. Highly appreciated in South America and U.S.A.

ROVATTI, T. S.
Born 1898. Son and pupil of Luigi. Worked at Buenos Aires. Excellent modelling of Cremonese standard types.
-----------------------------------
Thomas Stradivarius Rovatti
fece in Buenos Aires 1949
-----------------------------------

ROVESCALLI, AZZO
Born at Cremona, 1880. Pupil of his father Teodora. Died 1941. Stradivarian modelling, 300 violins, many violas and ’cellos.

ROVESCALLI, TULLIO
Born 1906. Son and pupil of Azzo. Worked at Milan and Varese (Lombardy). Violins, violas and guitars.

ROVETTA, ANTONIO
Worked at Bergamo and Milan, 1842-1890. Various models - Stainer (with high arching particularly in centre, dark brown varnish), and Cremonese (one Amatese realised £65 in London, 1929). Also a guitar player of which he made many - some with innovations.
--------------------------
Antonio Rovetta
Fecit, Bergamo 18. .
--------------------------

ROVETTA, FELICE
Worked at Brescia, 1880-1900. Violins and guitars.

ROWE, FREDERICK
Born 1884. Worked at Minneapolis, 1920-1927. First instrument made in 1909, five or six produced yearly. Constructive art is a sort of religion to him, and he imitates the Stradivarius and Guarnerius because they are an inspiration to him, and without any intention of having his productions pass as originals or even as old violins. Outline, arching, varnish, and particular flame of wood, all splendid duplications of the originals, yet the instruments have a strong personality, and give “impressions” of the aristocratic prototypes rather than minute replications. Every detail carved by hand, and as much critical attention given to the scroll as any other characteristic. Varnish extremely delicate and tender, also transparent and brilliant, effective application. Tonal quality pronounced by certain soloists as being quite “Stradish” or “Josephy” in accordance with the particular model. One of his best successes, a small Guarnerius model, 1735, body-length, 13-7/8 inches, flame of one-piece back slanting upwards from left to right.

ROWE, JOHN
Amateur. Art and drawing master at Taunton (Devon). Made model yachts. Excellent violinist, and leader of the Orchestral Society. Produced 10 or a dozen violins, 1870-1885. Stradivarian modelling, body-length 14 inches. Workmanship particularly clean. Favourably commented on by Hill and Sons. Yellowish-red varnish of own formula, very soft in texture, therefore cracked on the ribs and in the valleys of back. Tonal quality quite resonant and not without a modicum of purity.
------------------
John Rowe
Taunton 1872
------------------

ROWE, THOMAS A.
Born at Cowes, 1909. Boat builder. Produced first instrument, 1941. Guarnerian modelling, transparent brown or red varnish.
---------------
T. A. Rowe
No. 9 1949
Vectio
--------------
(within a drawing of the Isle of Wight).

ROWIES, PHILIPPE
Born 1872. Worked at Brussels. Died 1937. Manufacturer of pianos. Constructed a few violins of Stainer design.

ROWINSKI, HERBERT
Born in London, 1895. Son and pupil of Stanislav. Also studied in Germany. Resident at Hounslow (Middlesex), 1930. Worked entirely for the trade.

ROWINSKI, STANISLAV
Born at Bydgosz (Poland), 1858. Worked for Kotinski at that town, 1876. Came to England, 1882. Set up in Fitzroy Square, London. Moved to Chiswick, 1902. Many of his instruments not easily identified as he did much work for dealers. Usually reddish-brown varnish. Also made a large number of bows for the trade, and stamped according to the model. Owner of a string factory in Italy, produced some remarkably fine solo-strings known as the “Aliquot”. Ceased making instruments 1922, but carried on with dealing, etc.
----------------------------
Patentee - Brevete
Master 1920 Violin
Rowinski. London. W.
----------------------------
The crown on the label is the family crest. His father was a nobleman who passed through years of persecution and was forced to wander from placc to place. Some violins have dark yellow varnish, unusually thin edges, inartistic sound-holes, narrow model with a peculiar rising towards centre. “Rowinski London. W.” branded on button.

ROWLEY, A. G.
Resident at Cardiff, 1900. Not actively employed as a maker but varnished innumerable violins for other makers with dealers. Studied the varnish problem for many years and ultimately found one of beautiful lustre and transparency.

ROWLEY, ARTHUR JOHN
Born at Coventry, 1880. Studied in Italy with Garani. Violin teacher at Coventry and Northampton, 1930. Had repair premises at both places. Produced 100 violins up to year 1930. All made with enthusiasm and minute attention to every little detail. Early specimens belong to the various models of Stradivarius, Guarnerius, Amati and Maggini. Subsequently standardised his own model embodying the outstanding traits of the Amati, Guarnerius and Strad. Very excellent productions, and will doubtless have considerable glamour attached to them in future years. Tyrolese pine of strong fibre and splendid resonancy, pretty backs. Attractive contour, delicate purfling but sufficiently wide to prevent the fibres from flaking. Sound-holes artistically shaped and nicely harmonised with outline. Scroll exhibits his extensive training of natural ability. Patiently studied brainracking mathematics to achieve the minutest calculations of wood thicknessing. Oil varnish of various shades, golden-yellow, orange fiery red shaded yellow, old brown and deep blood-red.
-----------------------------------------
Hand Made Violin
By A. J. Rowley
31, collingwood Road, Coventry
A.D. 19. .
------------------------------------------
Name also written on the inner sides of the top and bottom plates. Latest specimens baptised “Godivarius” - an allusion to Lady Godiva of Coventry legend.

ROY
Worked at Vienna. Specialist in double-basses. Several fine toned specimens in London orchestras.

ROY, BENJAMIN J.
Established at Seattle (U.S.A.), 1920. Pupil of Matichek. Whole contour acquires a general harmony accompanied by judicious varnishing. Discovered and used silver fir wood. Claims to be “rich in the philosophy of tone”. Produced very serviceable bows.

ROY, ELMER MICHAEL
Son, pupil and successor of the preceding. Established at Seattle, 1926. Invented labour-saving devices for violin-makers. Stradivarian modelling, longitudinally and transversley perfectly proportioned. Own preparation of varnish (amber, pure linseed oil, and nitric acid), varying in shades from golden amber to ruby red, neither shade displeasing to the cultured eye. Attempted to investigate the principles by which the Cremonese were guided, and has produced beautiful prismatic shades, each analogous to the particular wood used. Also fine principles of balance in his bow making.
------------------------------
Made by Elmer M. Roy
Seattle. U.S.A. 1926
------------------------------

ROY, JOSEPH
Resident at Melbourne (Australia).
-------------------------------
Joseph Roy
Spring Vale
Melbourne, March 1922
------------------------------

ROYER, ALEXIS
Worked at Mirecourt, 1768. Little known work.

ROYS, W. H.
Student of the Bretch School of Violin-making, 1924. Resident at Elgin (Illinois), 1927.

ROZE
Worked at Orleans (France), 1750-1765. Mirecourt style of Amati modelling. Constructively solid, workmanship firm but not refined. Heavy-looking and widish scroll. Sound-holes well curved at the top and bottom, but open a little too much at the middle. Dark-yellow varnish prone to hardness. Moderately good tonal quality, not very powerful but also not without a certain sweetness.
----------------------------------------------
Roze, rue Sainte Catherine, à Orleans
près le Martroy, 1756
----------------------------------------------
(decorative border of stars)

RUB, AUGUSTO DA
Worked at Viterbo (Rome), 1760-1775. Grand-Amati pattern rather faithfully adhered to. Workmanship produces an agreeable impression on sight, though there is nothing deserving of the appellation distinctive. Good belly wood, and often two-piece backs of broadly figured material. Golden-yellow varnish fairly lustrous, and its application has been governed by a high sense of the artistic. Tonal quality very mellow and fairly robust, but without brilliance. Some instruments passed off as being the work of Guidantus.
--------------------------------------------
Aug. da Rub. ob animi delectationen
Fecit Viterbi, 1763
--------------------------------------------

RUBEIS, NICOLA DE
Romagnolian. Worked at Nice, 1920. Violins which consummately unite all artistic attributes with that of free tonal quality.
-----------------------------------
Nicola de Rubeis
Italiano detta il Romagnolo
Fecit Nizza nell’ Anno 192. .
-----------------------------------

RUBINI
Worked at Bologna, 1880. Principally a maker of guitars and mandolines. Disposed of violins bearing his label, but their construction was accomplished by “trade” manufacturers. £65, 1960.

RUBNER, JOSEF
Worked at Markneukirchen, 1882-1927. Specialist in ’cellos and double basses, designated “Concert” and “Solo”. Also basses of violin form, highly arched, finely flamed wood, and five strings. Assisted and succeeded (1927) by son Otto Richard.

RUBUS, RIGART
Flat arching, edging bevelled in Russian fashion. Good scroll of bold character, also with rounded edges. Attractive sound-holes not unlike the Stradivarian. Fine-grain belly-wood, dark yellow, brown-red varnish. General contour not conducive to a reverential tone, though the workmanship executed with fair propriety. Tonal quality must be assigned to the ordinary type of blatant loudness and absolute lack of liquid smoothness. Sometimes two labels in the one instrument.
-------------------------
Rigart Rubus
St. Petersburg 1850
-------------------------
The other, red and green tinted, has designs, one representing a man on horseback, the feet of the horse meeting those of a bird-like animal.

RUCHNIEWICZ, BERNHARD
Amateur at Peiplin (Poland), 1873-1882.

RUDDIMAN, JOSEPH
Not Thomas as sometimes erroneously given. Worked at Aberdeen. Born 1733. Died 1810. Supposed to have made violins in his 14th year. Presumed he was a pupil of Matthew Hardie. Authenticated specimens, from 1760, determine the then prevalent prejudice in Scotland against the Cremona type, by a rather close adherence to the Stainer, though the customary acute rise at the centre is not over pronounced. Scrolls generally compressed at the boss, and apt to be flat-fronted, undeniably picturing shyness or nervousness. Workmanship on the whole to be accredited as showing a very capable hand, certainly never amateurlsh. Tonal quality reasonably sweet if lacking in full sonority.
Later specimens, dating from 1780, have perhaps something in common with the outline and arching of the large Stradivarius. After these modified points, however, further resemblance altogether ceases. A sharp rise towards the edge is very noticeable, a similar characteristic also given to the scroll, and the top of peg-box grooved somewhat Pamphilon-like. Deep ribs, thinly wooded. Good acoustical belly wood of fine fibre, backs plain, but not necessarily indifferent material. Imitation purfling, completing a contour with certain strange incongruities. Wretched spirit varnish, now often greyish or quite dark, and without the slightest shimmer. Tonal quality of fair strength, but seems imprisoned.
---------------------
Ruddiman
Maker
17 Aberdeen 83
---------------------
(ornamented with design of guitars, etc.)
Some instruments branded J.R.F.A., meaning “Joseph Ruddiman fecit Aberdeen”

RUDDOCK
Worked at Manchester, pupil of Craske. Similar work; good modelling and varnish. £45, 1960.

RUDERT, DAVID
Born in Saxony. Wandered to Graslitz (Bohemia). Worked at Markneukirchen, from 1677. Lived at Lottengrün, 1716.

RUDERT, HENRYK
Worked at Warsaw, 1840-1862. Son of Jan. Instruments considerably more distinctive than those of father. Pretty imitations of the Stradivarian. Reddish-yellow varnish.
--------------------------
Henryk Rudert
Zrobil w Warszawie
r. 1846
--------------------------

RUDERT, JAN
Worked at Warsaw, 1832-1845. Possibly born and trained at Markneukirchen, as his instruments bear strong relationship with the style customarily emanating from that industrious centre.

RUDERT, J. G.
Worked at Markneukirchen, 1750. Instruments conceived through channels of inaptitude.

RUDERT, JOHANN MICHAEL
Worked at Korneuburg (Austria), 1808; and at Vienna; 1835-1842. Violins that cannot mingle with the loftier ones, but nevertheless of interesting design, well wooded, and a good oil varnish of dark shade.
-----------------------------
Johann Michael Rudert
fecit Korneuburg, 1809
-----------------------------
----------------------------------
Johann Michael Rudert
bürgerl: Lauten und Geigen
Macher A 1810
----------------------------------

RÜDIGER, MORITZ
Violin repairer at Brieg (Silesia), 1890. Invented (with Carl Bögel) “tension ribs” for the inside of the body. Another misguided idea for tonal amelioration.

RUDOLPH, JOHANN
Worked at Vienna, 1770-1780. Artistry pervades these comparatively unrecognised instruments, which deserve to win the consent of intelligent connoisseurs.
-----------------------------------------
Johann Rudolph, Violin und
Lautenmacher in Wien, An. 1774
-----------------------------------------

RUDOLPH, MAX
Specimen sold at Puttick’s, 1921.

RUDOLPHI, CARL
Amateur. Resident at Delsbö (Sweden). Won silver medal at Stockholm, 1925.

RUDURT (RUDERT), MARTIN
Worked at Vienna, 1748-1755. Very narrow model, bulgy arching, deep ribs, ordinary scroll, reasonably slanting sound-holes, dark brown varnish.
------------------------------------------
Martin Rudurt
Violinmacher in Wien. Anno 1753
------------------------------------------

RUEFF, GEORG
Born at Füssen (Bavaria), 1646. Worked at Foulenbach. Died 1725.

RUF, SEBASTIAN
Tyrolian priest who distinguished himself by making Stainer-like violins which now sometimes realise £20 each. Author of a “Life Sketch of Jacob Stainer” (Innsbruck, 1872). Also wrote several philosophical and scientific works.

RUGGERI, P. G.
see ROGERI.

RUGGERIO
Label in many cheap violins emanating from French or German factories.
-----------------------------------------
Ut a Magistro Ruggerio effectum
-----------------------------------------

RUGGIERI, ANTONIO
Son of Giacinto. Worked at Cremona, 1718-1726.
----------------------------
Antonio Ruggieri giflio
del fu Giacinto fece
in Cremona, 1723
---------------------------

RUGGIERI, FRANCESCO
The first of a family of makers at Cremona. Not to be confused with the Rogeri family at Brescia. Worked at No. 7 Contrada Coltellai. Instruments dated from 1655 to 1718. Celebrated pupil of Nicolò Amati - instruments built on the lines of that school so long familiar to us, but also with several slight differentiations and modifications combined and embodied with skill. Slightly larger model (somewhat similar to that of A. and H. Amati) than the prototype, very graceful outline, arching very slightly more elevated and sometimes prettily “ridgy”. Rather short and open sound-holes, but beautiful art work. Flatter arching attracted him after 1670, also a trifling increase in breadth, which perhaps brought the outline less completely graceful - middle bouts long and rather deep. Changed and lengthened the sound-holes, a sort of compromise of the Amatese and Stradivarian, very delicately executed, apparently a new idea to him for brightening the tone. Scrolls also meritorious, especially noble volutes. Broad and faultless purfling, the natural fruits of patient craftsmanship and reverence for beauty. Successful in choice of belly wood, backs generally of the prettiest material, invariably cut on the slab. Varnish (never too much or too little of it), varies. Sometimes a rather dull deep orange shade, also a more brilliant and richly transparent yellow-orange, udder which the wood lies in all its glory, and a particularly fascinating ruby-red (frequently found on the later specimens). And, what a delicious tone issues forth! A tone as notable for richness of mellow sonority as for penetrative power. Productions show that his mind was not stationary or restricted to the guidance of predecessors, but in accepting broader views, he never allowed them to become warped by undue ambition or subdued into timidity. Specimen (dated 1665) body-length 35.1 cm.; upper bouts 16; lower 19.9. Johann Strauss (the waltz King) played on a fine example. Found its way to America, 1920. Another (dated 1672, formerly owned by an Epglish Duke, and acquired by Mr. Sheridan of Liverpool, 1928) a fine specimen, body-length 14 inches, varnish of glorious reddish hue, and the back of the scroll gleaming like tortoiseshell. Comparatively few violas, but those few have remarkable qualities. ’Cellos (said to be of greater number than the violins) generally of very large proportions, backs sometimes of poplar wood, tone considerably penetrating and sonorous, though workmanship is not always refined. One specimen (dated 1718) is a magnificent example - successively owned by three virtuosi - Jules Delsart, Léon Jacquard, and Boris Hamburg - Stradivarian outline and sound-holes, rich varnish, and a tonal quality of brilliant purity.
------------------------------
Francesco Ruggieri detto
il Per, Cremona, 1673
-----------------------------
Detto il Per - named the father. Picolelli says it signifies a provincialism of the Italian word “pero” (pear-tree). At any rate, it distinguishes this family from the Rogeri. Various spellings on some labels - Ruger, Ruggeri, Ruggerius, and Rugier. Occasionally he wrote the label. Hill & Sons state that they have seen two specimens labelled -
--------------------------
Francefco Regeri
Il per Cremona 1694
--------------------------
Violins, £1750; ’cellos, up to £2000, 1960.
Trade violins supposed to represent the style of Ruggieri, and bearing facsimile labels, frequently do unwarrantable injustice to his model by undue breadth, thick edging, arching too full, and a comparatively small scroll.

RUGGIERI, GIACINTO GIOVANNI BATTISTA
Son and pupil of Francesco. Worked at Cremona, 1665-1700. Very substantially built, large proportions, full arching, generally having strong relationship with his father’s instruments, though workmanship is less precise. Every specimen arrests attention by its underlying element of strength. Brownish varnish of dark hue, very attractive and of excellent texture. ’Cellos also accurately gauged for tonal freedom.
--------------------------------------
Gio. Battista Rugier detto il per
fecit Cremonae. Anno 1666
--------------------------------------
--------------------------------
Giacinto filio di Francesco
Rugier detto il per 1692
--------------------------------
---------------------------------
Giaconto filio di Francesco
Ruggieri detto il per 1696
---------------------------------
Starck (in his book), gives this name as Giovanni Rudger. £900, 1960.

RUGGIERI, GUIDO
Supposed to have worked at Milan. 1680; and at Cremona, 1720. Very high model, back and ribs of beech wood. £600, 1960.

RUGGIERI, VINCENZO
Worked a Cremona, 1685-1735. Son of Francesco. Modelling generally of large dimensions, but occasionally one of slightly smaller build, more Amatese. Medium arching, very pretty scroll, purfling sometimes a trifle thick. Belly wood often of the finest close fibre, but also some of very broad and straight grain. One- and two-piece backs, frequently of beautiful wide flame. Varnish of lustrous orange shade, quite equal in transparency to any Cremonese. Some specimens have a deep sombre-like tone, yet very sonorous and penetrative, others softer and sweeter, but pellucidly clear, and ideal for quartet playing. Specimen (dated 1702) two-piece back, body-length 35.5 cm.; upper bouts 16.6; lower 20.7. One specimen (dated 1725) realised 1,000 dollars in America, 1915. Beethoven owned a viola dated 1690, presented to him by Prince Lichnowsky now in the Bonn Museum. ’Cellos more plentiful than violins. His masterpiece in design is said to be a viol-da-gamba, once in the possession of Paul de Wit, now resting in one of the German Museums.
----------------------------------
Vincenzo Ruger detto il Per
in Cremona, 1714
----------------------------------
(decorative border)
Others of similar wording, but name variously Rugier, Rugieri and Ruggeri.
------------------------------------
Vincenzo Rugieri detto il Per
Crernona, 1690
------------------------------------
Violins, £800 to £1000; ’cellos, £1250 to £1500, 1960

RUGGINELLI, G. D.
Violins greatly circulated by Beare & Son, London, for many years before and since 1920. £10. Cremonese models, also a superior one called the “Vuillaume”. Perfectly matured woods, finest old Swiss pine, and handsomely figured sycamore. Varnish of a soft orange-brown shade. Toning of plates done by specially equipped Frenchmen. Tonal quality certainly capable of quick response.
----------------------
Giovanni Battista
Rugginelli
----------------------
-----------------------------------
Giovanni Battista Rugginelli
B&S Luthier à Paris
L
-----------------------------------

RUNDSTRÖM, AXEL
Born 1860. Amateur at Norrköping (Sweden). Died 1936. Produced 100 violins, also a few violas and ’cellos. Painstaking workmanship, splendid curvatures of scroll, attractive varnish and excellent tone.

RUNGA, J.
Worked at Riga, 1925. Chiefly Russian guitars of various sizes. Also a few violins.

RUPERTI
Worked at Hamburg, 1840-1860. Violins easily dethroned from supremacy in design and workmanship.

RUPERTI, WILHELM
Worked at Wismar-on-Baltic, 1840-1861. Ordinary workmanship.

RUPPERT, FRANZ
Worked at Erfurt (Saxony), 1800-1810. Very industrious in changing the outline and arching, but less so in respect to refined workmanship. Claimed to have certain scientific principles for breadth and clearness of tone, apparently a philosophy brought about by thinning and doctoring the wood. Suppressing the rib linings, and omitting corner blocks, proving nothing accordant with nature. Instruments enjoying a brief spell of popularity as the result of their “easy response” but subsequently died from the usual exhaustion of premature old age. Varnish of a non-attractive dark brown shade.
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Franz Ruppert Geigenmacher
in Erfurt. Anno 1812
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RUPPERT, J. H.
Worked at Erfurt, 1718-1736. Instruments rather at war with the first principles of violin-making, and no gain, in consistency and clearness of tone, can accrue from such assiduous cultivation of the unnatural. Stainer-like outline with comparatively flat arching. Funny looking sound-holes totally opposed to ripened artistry. Often fancy heads (cleverly carved), no purfling, ribs without linings, no corner blocks, and very thin bellies. Dark-brown varnish, also subject to adverse criticism. Dealers who ask £20 for a specimen, and get it, show their fearless and undoubting confidence in a purchaser’s gullability.
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Johann Heinrich Ruppert
in Erfurt 1733
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RUPPRECHT, WILHELM
Worked at Vienna, 1837-1862. Frequently copied the Brescian school in an authoritative manner, and rightly too, for each characteristic is perfectly unfolded. Double purfling also shows his splendid allegiance to artistry. Also inlaid on the back the so-called magic sign pentacle (used against witch-craft) formed by laying one equilateral triangle athwart another, so as to give the outline of a six pointed star. Several specimens disposed of as genuine Magginis. Also produced very fine Guarnerian models. £30 (1926).
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Wilhelm Ruprecht
in Wien anno 1842
betheilt mit der Silbernen Verdienst-Medaille
bei der Producten Ausstellung des Jahres, 1839
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RUSHWORTH AND DREAPER
Specialists in violins, ’cellos, double-basses and all accessories. Makers and dealers at Liverpool for 100 years prior to 1928. Employ a large staff of experienced workmen. Sole producers of the well-known “Ardeton” stringed instruments. See Ardeton.

RUSSEL, GEORGE
Old English. Label placed in centre of back, reverse way. Stainer outline, arching, and sound-holes. Very large scroll, fluting at the back ending half-way down. Fine belly wood, beautiful back, but unpurfled. Pale shade of thin varnish, tone fairly rich though not strongly sonorous.

RUSSELL, THOMAS
Born in Scotland, 1901. Resident at Sydney (Australia), 1925. Pupil of A. E. Smith. Creditable workmanship, Strad and Guarnerian modelling. Golden-brown or reddish brown varnish.
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Thomas Russell
Sydney, 1929
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(written)

RUSSO, DOMENICO
Viol-da-gamba in the Ferdinand Museum at Innsbruck (Tyrol), of 16th century - decorated with inlays, finely sculptured head of a faun, rather high deck, flat back of chestnut wood, and dark red varnish.
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Domenico Russo
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(without place or date)

RUTH, LONGINUS
Made his violins in winter, and visited different markets in the Tyrol during the warmer months to dispose of them. Stainer modelling in haphazard style. Bulgy arching, sound-holes wide open, very meagre looking scroll, no purfling, and thin varnish. Therefore, we cannot suppose much quality in the tone.
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Longinus Ruth
Nellenburg, Tyrol, 1747
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Some labels give Ruch instead of Ruth. Many not dated.

RUTSCH, FRANZ
Worked at Beuthen (Silesia), 1885.

RUZF, G. M.
Worked at Mittenwald and Landshut, 1870-1880. Tyrolese style, reddish varnish, lion heads.

RUZICKA, JOSEF
Studied at Prague. Worked at Troppau, 1903-1935. Strad or Guarnerian outlines, but arching generally too high, the whole not enhanced by the thick edges. Ordinary workmanship. Golden-brown varnish. Similar tone of the usual “commercial” kind.
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Josephus Ruzicka oppaviensis
faciebat anno 1922
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RYCHTAR, ALOIS
Born 1876. Amateur at Upsala (Sweden).

RYDBERG, ERNST
Chemist at Liljeholmen (Sweden), 1900. Died 1933. Made successful investigations in varnish. Constructed several violins which gained gold medal at Stockholm, 1925.

RYMWID-MICHIEWICZ, JÖSEF
Born 1869. Pupil of Ivanov at St. Petersburg. Set up at Odessa, 1897. Worked at Warsaw, 1925. Won gold medal at Antwerp Exhibition, 1894. Some instruments of Guarnerian modelling, others dictated by original ideas, of large proportions and very slight gradient. Yellow or reddish-yellow varnish very thinly applied, and looking like an ordinary polish. Strong and sharp-cut tone, but G string not so satisfactory as the others.
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Jósef Rymwid-Michiewicz
Robit w Odessie. R 1-111
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(with monogram)