Chapter X: Imitation Old Masters

When certain of the more famous old violin makers were still living, when they had achieved through the splendour of their tone and the perfection of their model a wide-spread fame, there came into being a class of fiddle builders who devoted their energies towards copying, as closely as possible, the work of the great luthiers of their time. It is only fair to state that the majority of them were honest, and without desire or intention to create what might be considered a forgery. But some unknown hand has accomplished the feat for them by removing the label of the real maker and substituting the ticket of one more famous. Thus we have many genuine old violins sailing under colours to which they have no legitimate right, and deceiving--not only the unwary, but sometimes those who are very wary indeed.

Jacob Stainer inspired more copyists, perhaps, than any other builder, although Nicholas Amati seems to have been a very good second, while none of the great makers escaped altogether. As these copies were manufactured when the originals were new they were not artificially aged. Time, therefore, has dealt with them just as it has dealt with the violins of any other maker of old times. Their ancient appearance is perfectly genuine, and therefore the detection of fraud rendered more difficult in the close copies--especially as some contain labels which were removed from authentic old master violins. As to the tone of these instruments it is sufficient to say that a select few were produced by makers who were really good regulators and developers of tone. If their violins had been untampered with and allowed to sail under true colours instead of false, their repute would have been of no mean order. Others, however, possess a tone of the meanest description, being merely unregulated copies.

Another class of imitator consisted of those makers of considerable reputation, as builders of fine-toned violins, who indulged in the habit of ageing their instruments by artificial means, led thereto by a keen appreciation of the fact that a fiddle which has the _appearance_ of age will sell more readily than one that is frankly new. Connoisseurs have always condemned this practice, not only because it detracts from the intrinsic value of the instrument, or because the processes employed are destructive to tone, but because there is added to the violin that which is false, and therefore hateful to all lovers of the fiddle, save, indeed, those for whom these imitations were intended--the age-worshippers. The makers did not intend these instruments to pose as old masters. They were produced as honest “fakes,” if such a thing can be imagined. Most contain the label of the builder, and were artificially aged merely to hasten their sale. As works of tonal art they cannot be recommended.

The next class of imitation is composed of those new-old, machine-made abominations turned out literally by thousands by the German fiddle factories. Why these should be made to imitate the old is a mystery, for they deceive nobody--unless it be those absolutely ignorant of fiddle matters. They are bought by dealers and sold for just what they are; with “case, bow, instruction book and resin,” all for a sovereign! These need not detain us, nor need we mention their “tone.”

The last imitations to claim our notice are those intended deliberately to deceive, and they find victims among that class of fiddle player who appears ever willing to “take chances.” Some of these forgeries are clever enough, and well calculated to catch the eye of the novice. No wonder the pawnshops are festooned with them! From every point of view they are worthless. Without any pride of ancestry, from posterity they can hope for nothing. Their forte, if not their purpose, is to retard the progress of those who struggle hopefully with a splendid but difficult art; to lay the foundations of failure for many talented players, and bring the most earnest effort towards tone to an untimely or unsatisfactory end. It is said that a poor workman blames his tools, but many excellent players blame themselves when it is the fiddle that is at fault. These fiddles make them incapable of appreciating fine tone, and throughout their lives they allow a worthless instrument to impose its strident voice upon them. Let us close this review of the imitations with the following quotation from a letter I received not long ago, written by the head of a world-famous firm of dealers in old violins: “It is easier to sell an imitation old violin than a _new one of better tone_.” The italics are mine, but the lesson is unmistakable, and should be seriously considered by every seeker of tone.