The violin, after being taken from the case, is closely examined by the chief, who turns it round about, tapping it here and there and holding it up to the light. At last, handing it to James he says:—"Not so much as I should have expected after the terrible occurrence described in the letter; the fiddle is a good one, so it deserves proper attention, no matter who owns it. Just look about the case and find if you can the small piece that has come from this place in the front table."

James looks earnestly about the interior of the violin case without success. "No sign of it here, sir, there's nothing at all but a little bit of sweetstuff," he says, taking out a small white disc from one of the side pockets.

"Well, we must proceed to work without it, so get that box out with the odd pieces of old wood; I've no doubt you will find a piece that will match the grain of the pine to a nicety; we must have the upper table off, better do it first."

This proceeding, of a kind as described before, having occupied some minutes, the upper table is held by the chief while the assistant gropes among the odds and ends of pine and in a minute or two finds a piece which is pronounced to suit admirably. "Now, James, there appears to be only this portion seriously injured, and another, almost a splinter, running along the part adjoining. It will be compulsory to cut a well-squared opening for the fitting, you will be careful to make the walls of this part contract as the descent is made, so that the wood inserted is slightly wedge-shaped. You will at the same time be careful and bear in mind that this fresh wood will have to match so nicely, that when inserted properly the threads or grain will appear continuous and not broken to the eye of any person but the experienced critic. To please this person, however, you will have not only to make the lines of the grain follow through evenly, but so fit your wood as to be in the direction of the growth of the plank from which the table was cut. You see this aperture is on the slant or curve about midway between the bridge and part near the tail-piece. Many repairers, even when inserting fresh wood with exceeding neatness, neglect this precaution, and, in consequence, when the part is finished and varnished over, there is but little indication of repair when looked at from one standpoint, but from another or a removal of the light, this fault is very conspicuous. A frequent attempt to conceal this is made by covering the part with dull varnish that will not allow of much light passing through; sometimes an entirely opaque plastering is pasted over, obscuring the grain of the old and new wood alike in the locality, and thus making what is known as a botch."

For the execution of such repairs as these there will not be any necessity to open the violin. They will really be more conveniently effected without, there being more support and leverage where required.

A long crack while fresh will take the glue readily and be as secure as required when dry. It should be placed along the line to the extreme ends or a little over, and with gentle pressure alternately each side the glue will be gradually drawn in. This should be continued for some time, until there is little disposition shown for more absorption.

The superfluous glue will now be wiped off; should there be any tendency on one side or the other to remain higher, thus causing a ridge which must be most carefully guarded against, a piece of tape or ribbon tied round the violin at the part, and a small wedge of soft wood inserted between the tape and the elevated edge, will bring it to a proper level, when it may be put aside to dry and harden.

When sufficient time has elapsed for this according to atmospheric conditions, the binding may be removed and the surface along the crack wiped with a damp rag until only the line is apparent.

If the foregoing is done neatly and cleanly, there will be very little evidence of damage remaining. In such instances as the present there may be occasionally necessary two, three or more bindings with proper wedges, according to the length of the crack, the size of the violin and the model. If the latter is rather high, or of the kind called by our French neighbours bombe, the disinclination for the edges to come evenly together without help will be much greater, and therefore binders and wedges should be at once made ready after a glance at the model.



CHAPTER XIV.

REPAIRING LOST PORTIONS—MARGINS OF SOUND HOLES—MATCHING THE GRAIN—FIXING AND FINISHING OFF—REPLACING WITH FRESH WOOD LARGE PORTIONS OF UPPER TABLE—LOST PARTS OF PURFLING—RESTORING IT WITH OLD STUFF.

As the repairing now under consideration is of a kind requiring not only skill, but experience in the handling of the tools and necessary appliances connected therewith, we will still suppose ourselves in the trained repairer's rooms at the rear of his premises, and that professors and amateurs frequently call at the shop in front with violins of various kinds with all sorts of injuries that they are desirous of having put right.

Just at this moment a lady of highly fashionable appearance glides in, followed by her footman carrying a violin case. She has brought a violin that has been laid aside and forgotten for a long time at a friend's house, for generations in fact, it used to be in repute as a violin by Cremona. It has been given to her daughter, who is making great progress under the guidance of one of the most eminent performers of the day, and she wishes to have it put in good playing order if it is worth the expense.

The footman obediently brings forward the case, unfastens the string that holds the lid down, the hinges being out of working condition, and places it on the counter; the lid being raised, a strong mousy odour comes forth.

Our chief takes the violin from the hands of the man and turns it over, raises his eyebrows and remarks, "Yes, madam, the violin has been sadly neglected, the case having been left open mice have been residing in the snug retreat afforded them." "Yes," is the lady's rejoinder, "I believe the case was found a little way open, my friends have not been musical at any time and took no interest in the matter. Is it a good violin, Mr. ——?"

"Good, madam? it is very fine, one of the masterpieces of Cremona. The mice have turned the sound-holes into doorways, the nibblings have gone nearly half through one of the wings."

"Wings!" says the lady. "I was not aware of there being any wings to a violin." "No, ma'am," is the answer; "wings is a technical term we use to express that slender part with the straight cut line at the lower end of the sound hole. We shall have to open the violin to repair that part properly."

"I hope that will not ruin the instrument," observes the lady. "Can you not do the repair without?" "We could, ma'am, if we wished to save time and run a risk." "Oh, please don't run any risk with it, now that I know that it is a valuable instrument I must ask you to take extra pains and do it in your best manner."

"If you would like to see the violin open, I will get my assistant to do it now, it will take but a minute or so. Here, James, open this fiddle and bring it here again."

There is not much waiting, the upper table has not been very obstinate, and James soon reappears with the loose parts, which he hands to his chief. The lady, rather eager at first to see if there is anything curious about the inside of a violin, rather shrinks away when it is brought near. "It is in a very dirty condition," the chief observes, "but we shall soon get that all right," he adds, "by giving it a wash."

"But will not wetting it spoil the tone?" the lady asks. "Not in the least, ma'am," is the reply. "In fact, it will be improved, as at present there is so much grease and filth that the vibration would be seriously interfered with. When it is quite clean there will be more freedom, and the true character of the tone declared."

The lady having departed, the chief takes the violin parts to the workroom. "This is a fine thing," he says to James.

"I thought so too, sir," he replies, "got some fine stuff on it, fiery like, nothing the matter with it but those mouse nibblings."

"That will require careful work, James, think you can do it sufficiently neat and make the new wood match well?"

"I think so, sir. Some of that old pine that we had sent us last week will match thread for thread."

"Well, give it a clean out first, James." This is at once commenced, and with the aid of some clean water, a sponge and stubby brush, followed by the application of a clean dry rag or duster, the interior presents a fairly clean appearance.

"I see you have been careful about the label, James. It was not possible to decipher it when smothered with dirt, but we can read it now. Yes, what I thought, original ticket without a doubt. Joseph filius. Bring me that bottle of benzine and the hog-hair brush." This being done, the chief takes the brush wetted with the benzine and carefully brushes about the corners and other parts where the grease has refused to come away under the ordinary treatment. Each application is followed by a wiping of the cloth held in readiness.

"There," he says at last, "it is quite fresh and wholesome. Don't suppose Mr. Mouse will go in again."

"Now, James, what do you propose doing? making a clean sweep of the ragged parts with the knife or letting in angular portions in the German manner?"

"Well, sir, on looking close at it perhaps the best way will be to act both ways, cut that part straight through and fit the splinters along there."

"Yes," says the chief, "I think that way will save as much of the old material, if not more, than any other. Take pains with it and mind the small joinings are clean and sharp."

James retires with the upper table to his bench, where the different necessary excisions are proceeded with.

The next stage is that of glueing pieces of wood at the back of and across the sound holes. The object of this is to get more strength and leverage for pressing home the fresh wood to be inserted. From the neglect of this precaution many instruments have had cracks and other damages caused, making matters worse than before and necessitating much more work in rectifying it. After the necessary time, the glue being hard and dry enough, James begins the matching of the parts with pieces of old wood from the carefully hoarded pile in a box kept for the purpose; first one piece, then another is tried, until the right one is obtained for each requirement, both in respect of colour and matching of the thread or grain. The surfaces to come in contact and be fixed are minutely fitted, the larger ones only at present, the smaller gaps are left.

All being ready, strong glue is applied to the parts which are to be united and they are pressed together, help toward adjustment being obtained from the wood glued across.

Being left to dry, and this being complete, the cramps or wedges, as may have seemed appropriate, are removed, the cross pieces cut away and the glue washed off.

The paring down of the fresh wood to the level of the surrounding parts has now to be very carefully done. The adjacent curves must be studied and the surfaces of the fresh parts worked until by testing, not only by the sight, but passing the finger across, the surface feels as one piece.

For the small parts that require levelling, small pieces of glasspaper attached to a stick of pine shaped according to requirement will be found useful.

The fresh wood will of course be projecting some way beyond the edges or course of the line of the sound holes, the exact outline of which it is most desirous to continue.

This is about to be attended to by James, who thinks it a small matter to continue the line with his sharp knife, but his master happened to catch sight of his first strokes and sees his intention in time. "Stop!" he calls out, "not another stroke; just take a tracing of the opposite or corresponding part of the other sound hole and trace it down, don't trust to your eye unless you consider yourself an artist of experience and able to actually draw with your knife.

"You must attend to another thing besides the tracing of the contour. When you cut up to the line that you take as a guide, you must see that you make the walls of the opening at the same angle downwards, and your fresh wood in every respect of form an exact continuation of the old work."

The repair so far as the wood work is concerned is finished. It has now to receive the varnishing and touching up in detail for matching so as to arrest as little attention as possible as a repair.

"There are two fiddles, sir, that a party brought here yesterday. They seem very far gone; one of them has lost quite a quarter of the upper table, it has had a bad smash and the pieces have not been saved."

"Well, James," is the reply, "there is only one course to pursue, that is, to put a fresh piece of wood, join it as neatly as possible and match the varnish. I think we have a piece of old stuff sent us by an Italian dealer that will suit that exactly." The store of odds and ends of pine is rummaged over and the piece, with some pencil notes on it of date, etc., brought out and compared with the fractured fiddle. "Could not be better, James," says the chief. "Now take off that table, or what remains of it, and pare the ragged edges at the part near the sound hole.

"At that part you had better shave it at an angle from the upper surface and make a corresponding start on the fresh wood; they must both fit to a nicety, and when so the old wood will overlap the fresh stuff. You will take care to have the upper surface of the fresh wood a little above the level of the old, to allow of finishing down to a good level when the time comes for the final touches."

This is all seen to, the large slice of wood is for the present left square at the top, it is thick enough to represent the appearance of the slab of wood used by the original maker before the table was cut into form. There is some gouging to be done and shaping of the parts adjoining the old wood.

It has, of course, been necessary to provide a sort of mould for fitting and pressing from above the thin shaved edge of the old material on to the new. Precaution, however, is taken to firstly glue the parts that are to be brought together at the joint. This will prevent the shaved surfaces from slipping when pressure is applied.

These parts of the process having been done and the glue dried sufficiently, the under surface is levelled all round as a continuation of the under part of the old border.

The table, therefore, can now be laid flat, and should fit well on to the ribs and linings as it did before the fracture. James now has recourse to the advice of his chief as to the best course to pursue.

"Shall I trace the other side, sir, and mark it down on the fresh wood so as to make it balance?"

"Certainly not," answers his chief, "this is what you must do. Lay the table on the ribs as if you were about to glue it down, you can let it be held in position by a couple of screw-cramps, then, with a lead pencil, take as a guide the ribs, holding it so that a mark can be made all round representing the projection of the new edging. A short piece of a pencil laid flat against the ribs and moved round, would perhaps be the most convenient."

James proceeds dutifully to work, marks the edging, and then, after removing the screw-cramps, roughly hews away the wood to near the line.

Much care and more delicate manipulation has to be exercised now, or the precaution of the pencil line will prove to be next to useless.

Files of different degrees of tooth are employed until quite an even contour is obtained and a precise line, the continuation of the pattern, is seen.

The next proceeding will be to mark the thickness of the edging all round. For this purpose a cut line is better than a mere mark, as the cutting up to it is easier and safer. The purfling tool may be regulated and adapted in this case, after which the table will be laid flat, carefully considered, and the more detailed gouging commenced. A small pair of calipers will prove handy for measuring the depth of the channelling of the original parts and gouging down carefully until a corresponding modelling has been effected.

If the original work is sharply defined and a distinctly shaped border is present, then the work must be proceeded with as in the instance of making a new copy of a violin.

Some little difficulty may appear when the question of matching the purfling arises. The assistant opens a drawer close by, selects a likely piece, compares it with that on the violin, and then shows it to his chief, who examines it in a similar manner. "Yes," he says, "I think that is sufficiently like, in fact, it will not be possible to get nearer, it is a bit of that old stuff, is it not, that we have kept by for an emergency? Have you got the groove cleanly cut and routed out?"

"Yes, sir," is the answer; "I noticed about the depth that would be wanted at that little part where the old stuff had been snapped short at the fracture."

"Well, that will do, James. Be careful to cut the ragged end with a clean angle, doing the same with the fresh stuff—fit the parts accurately, and when you insert the purfling see that the end is pushed home so that as little as possible is seen of the junction of the two ends."

With these injunctions borne in mind, James proceeds to the work. Having had some experience in this branch of the repairing art, and, further, this being to him a more interesting part than others of the proceedings, he at once sets to work.

Having roughly measured the length of the piece of purfling to be inserted, he finds that it will be necessary to bend it to the curves of the groove made for it. To force it in while in its present condition would not do, as it is nearly straight; for, although it has served to go round a violin in years gone by, it has almost resumed its old condition through the action of the natural damp in the atmosphere.



CHAPTER XV.

REPAIRS TO PURFLING (CONTINUED)—FILLING UP AN OPENING EXTENDING TO THE WHOLE LENGTH OF THE VIOLIN—FITTING THE CORE—FIXING IT IN POSITION AND RETAINING IT THERE—FINISHING THE SURFACE.

Many old Italian violins bear indications of the haste of the maker to get the purfling done, and so without the delay of any intermediary process the purfling has been pressed in with great risk and sometimes an inevitable result of fracture.

In the present instance, the violin having all the evidence of great care having been expended on its construction and finish, the repair, to be as successful as possible, must be carried out on the same principle, every little deviation of curve being well imitated. For the bending of the purfling there may be, of course, any number of methods. According to the consistency of the material, so the management must be.

At present the piece of purfling, having been taken from a portion of an old violin bought for the purpose of breaking up and using for repairs, is very dry and rather brittle. The light coloured part or central portion is of some hard wood that refuses to accommodate itself easily to the requirements of the moment; this is found to be the case on trying a small portion with the fingers—it goes with a snap on very little attempt being made to bend it.

James having met with this kind of thing before, knows more than one way of meeting the difficulty. As is often found, a rough and ready way is good for a small amount of work such as he has before him.

He takes a candle and lights it. He has always at hand a jar of water ready for any damping required in the number of little odd jobs constantly occurring. Placing the jar of water within easy reach, he dips the purfling into it once and then wipes it with his handy cloth.

Taking the two ends with the fingers of each hand he passes it backward and forward near the flame of the candle, using a gentle pressure to make it assume a crescent or bow shape. The heat causes the damp to evaporate and steam the materials, and the purfling will gradually assume the required curve.

When this latter happens to be short or sudden, another dip and heating may be necessary.

This being successfully accomplished, recourse is now had to the glue pot, a pointed piece of wood is dipped into it, and a small streak of glue is laid in the groove. The purfling is now carefully inserted along the course, pressed in and left to dry.

After a sufficient time has elapsed, James looks over it, and finding all things ripe for finishing, takes a gouge of a size that will suit the channelling of the particular model adopted by the maker.

Great care is necessary to shave off but a small portion as the gouge is passed along. The latter has a very keen edge, or it will tear instead of cut. It is used here and there in contrary direction, as the grain of the several parts of the purfling does not run quite level. A curved file, and finally a little glasspapering, will complete the matter so far. There will be for the finishing of the whole of the fresh wood a further process to go through, that is, a slight damping.

This can be done with a small fine grained sponge or a moderately wet camel hair brush. This is for the purpose of slightly raising the grain. If this is not done at this time the soft part of the grain may show its automatic tendency to swell after the final process of varnishing has been gone through. When quite dry, fine glasspaper is used to reduce the surface to an almost polished level, after which some clear oil, having good drying qualities, is brushed lightly but completely over all portions of the fresh work.

It will not be absolutely necessary that this should be quite dry and hard before proceeding with the varnishing down to the tint of the old and surrounding work.

This being a separate and independent branch of the art of restoration, will be treated apart hereafter.

For the present we will be content to know that this varnishing, a very delicate process in connection with the repair, is undertaken by the chief himself, who sets to work at once and in a manner as if it were a true labour of love, there being no hurry, but careful time-ignoring attention to matching and calculation of effect. Just before settling down with colours, essences, solvents and brushes, he gives directions to his man James to "finish up the crack or fracture in that old 'Stainer' lying on the shelf there behind."

When it is taken down from its place of repose, James looks at it for a moment and then observes, "Rather an awkward job, this, sir! It is more than a crack along the whole length of the fiddle; somebody has been at it trying to mend it and made it positively worse. The edges are quite apart. You can see through in some places, and in others there is a lot of black hard glue."

The chief now has a look over the damaged part and then remarks, "The thread of the pine happens to be very straight, and that will lessen the trouble."

"Right, sir," is James's rejoinder, "not like that Genoese fiddle that we had some time back with the very curly bit of pine that looked as if the tree had been growing at the side of a rock and trying to look round the corner. Fitting a straight piece along the centre of that fiddle was no joke."

"Well, James, wash all that filthy dark glue away, and when quite dry, run a thin chisel along each side of the hole, taking fine shavings off until the upright walls have a sharp clean edge."

The washing out is at once commenced, and when finished, the upper table, which of course had been removed some time back for ascertaining the necessary amount of repairing, is placed apart for drying.

While this is in process, another violin is taken in hand. It has a different kind of fracture, which it has been thought well for appearance sake should be re-opened and made tidy, in fact, obscured as much as present skill will allow of.

The fracture, although not one of very common occurrence, is of a kind well known to professional repairers. It has been caused by a twist, possibly while being handled by some clumsy or heavy-handed repairer of olden times, and hastily filled with polluted glue, pressed together and left to itself. It is not at right angles with the plane of the instrument, but at a very acute one, very little evidence of it, possibly none, being seen from the inside.

The first step taken by the repairer is the cleansing and removal of all foreign particles likely to interfere with the adhesion of the surfaces to be brought into contact. As there is present much grime, and this not free from a suspicion of the presence of grease, James has recourse to the bottle of benzine, into which he dips a small brush, working it backwards and forwards, wiping it on an absorbent rag and re-applying the liquid.

This does not take very long; the evaporation being rapid, the wood is soon ready for the next stage, which is that of removing the dark glue and other foul matters from the irregular surface.

This requires the application of warm water, by means of a stiffer implement, used in fact as a small scrubbing brush; the moisture between whiles is pressed in and out by the fingers with repeated wipings and re-wettings.

After a while, being satisfied that the surfaces of the fracture are clean to the desired degree, James allows the wood to partially dry. In the meanwhile, he cuts a couple of pieces of wood to fit the back and front of the table, so that with folded paper as a pad the parts may be pressed together. All being in readiness, fresh strong glue is inserted all along the opening, the repeated pressing being kept up until he is sure that the glue has penetrated every part. The superfluous glue oozing from the inside, after a slight squeeze along the course, is lightly wiped off, the moulds applied back and front, and the cramps fixed.

Other little odds and ends of repairing have occupied the attention of the assistant during the time of waiting for the drying of the before-mentioned upper table of the Stainer. This latter being of full model, although not resembling the swollen or bolster-like form of many imitations of the master, requires special attention with regard to fitting in of the fresh wood or core.

The fresh wood must not be bent, or the matching of the grain with the old material will be impossible, and the repair when completed will be strikingly conspicuous. It must therefore be inserted in such a manner that when pared down, the direction or flow of the grain will exactly coincide in all respects with the rest of the table. The fact must be recognised that although the threads may be perfectly straight from end to end, yet they may rise higher at one end than the other or not run level with the plane of the table. (Diagram 37.)



This being duly calculated by James when cutting the piece that is to be inserted as a core, the table with its opening extending nearly from end to end is placed on an even surface facing upwards, as when on the instrument. The core is then tried in the aperture. Perhaps a thin shaving or two is found necessary, when finally it is sufficiently exact. The next stage is that of getting ready the means of holding or pressing all the parts together till dry after glueing. Taking a flat piece of wood, perhaps the one just used, and placing the table down, a pencil line is traced on the board round the violin table as if for the purpose of copying the pattern. Two straight lines are now ruled on each side touching the most projecting part of the upper and lower curve (Diagram 38.)



On the outside of each line, but touching it, a strip of wood about a quarter of an inch square is pegged or nailed down.

The table or plate when placed flat between these two small bars of wood, is within an acute angle, and can be held tight or not according to the degree of pressure with which it is pushed toward the smaller end.

It will at once be perceptible that a trifling pressure forward of the table towards the small end will result in the raising of the central part and the widening of the opening instead of closing it.

There must be, therefore, some means adopted to counteract this, and these are not difficult to fix upon. In lieu of pressing the table forward with risk of damaging the part of the border that will come in contact with the two fixed bars, it will be carefully tried as to fitting the exact position it is to take when glued, that is, sufficiently forward in the space between the bars that will only admit the table with a slight rise in the arching, the joint or part holding the core being in a more open condition as a consequence.

The exact place or point of contact is marked with a soft pencil or piece of chalk on border and bar. The table being taken away, the parts requiring it will be carefully glued.

Placed in position again, necessary means are taken that the surface or plane on each side of the core are quite level with each other; if they are not so, they will, after the necessary paring down of the core has been completed, cause an ugly, uneven appearance. To prevent this, therefore, the parts must be adjusted by the application of the fingers on one side or the other, or gently tapped by a piece of wood sufficiently heavy until exactness of level is made sure.

There is now necessary a weight to be applied along the whole length of the junction for keeping all in position until the glue is quite dry and hard.

Any kind of weight may be applied, the smaller and heavier in proportion to size the better, as so much more can be seen when several are used instead of one and that of larger dimensions.

These being placed in position, the table with its adjusted weights is placed away for drying.

When time has elapsed for this to be satisfactorily accomplished the table is taken in hand again, the weights lifted off and a slight tap at the upper with a piece of soft wood will set it free.

The part of the core now rising above the upper or varnished side of the table is pared down very gently, care being taken that the chisel does not work into the varnish on either side of the core, and that it is not driven against the grain, as by so doing the wood is nearly certain to be torn instead of cleanly shaven.

A close examination of the surface is now made, if found quite satisfactory, it may receive its final polishing by the application of some very fine glass paper wrapped round a piece of cork, with a little clear oil dabbed on it. This will give a dead smooth surface. If the above directions are carried out with clean and sharp work, the line along the table marked by the presence of the core will be so slight as to appear little more than the thread of the wood, in the highest class of repairing it will be nearly exact.

The part of the core projecting on the under side of the table is easily disposed of by a gouge in the same manner as described for the action of the chisel on the front.

The operations just described are of a kind that should not be undertaken without considerable experience, as, indeed, ought to be the case with many other repairs, the requisite dexterity of handling not coming at once even with much natural ability.



CHAPTER XVI.

REPAIRING UNDERTAKEN BY PEOPLE IN BUSINESS NOT CONNECTED WITH THAT OF BOWED INSTRUMENTS—REMOVAL OF A FIXED SOUND POST—FITTING A FRESH PART OF WORM-EATEN RIB—BRINGING TOGETHER THE LOOSENED JOINT OF THE BACK WITHOUT OPENING THE VIOLIN.

We will now move down to the front portion of the premises again, where the chief has been pondering over some instruments with damages of different kinds and degrees. Some have been sent for repair, but have nothing apparently wrong about them. The little note sent with them is simply to the effect that "they do not go well" and the owners would like them put in order. A tap is given here and there with his knuckles, and this kind of test is sufficient in one instance to get an acknowledgment from the violin itself that its ribs do not adhere to the back as they should. Another betrays no looseness anywhere, and there is no fracture perceptible on a close examination; this is put aside so that it may be strung up properly, when it will probably give out some distinct evidence of internal wrong, if not of some external injury, which being fresh and clean is not easily affected by mere tapping.

In the midst of his meditations over the different possibilities, a gentleman enters accompanied by a young lady, probably his daughter, who carries a violin case. He enters upon his subject at once, saying:—"I have brought a violin for your inspection, it was left behind by a friend who went abroad some time back and he lately wrote over saying that my daughter might find it useful, as he had been told by his father that it was at one time an instrument with excellent sounding qualities. He is not a player and he kept it shut up for a long time and seemingly forgot all about it. We of course soon got the case from its hiding place, opened it and took the violin out. My daughter here found two strings had snapped and put on others. When she tried it with her bow, however, most unpleasant sounds came out. My daughter proposed that it should be taken to a shop in our neighbourhood where she gets her music; she says they are very nice people, and so she took it there and they told her 'it would be put in order by the next morning,' which of course seemed very prompt. My daughter has tried it since it came home, but it seems to have even less sound than before."

"Let me have a look at it, please," says our chief. The violin is at once taken out of the case by the young lady and handed to him. The chief looks over it, turns it about once or twice, and asks: "Did you put this into the hands of a repairer who professed any knowledge of violins?" The answer is—"Well, the people that my daughter took it to said they had intrusted the violin to their best pianoforte repairer, who had worked in one of the principal manufactories in London." The chief observes: "A piano is very different to a violin, sir; the repairer of one has to deal with curved surfaces, and wood of two kinds only, the other with flat ones and other woods and metals." "I hope the treatment has not ruined the instrument, can it be restored, will it be of much value?" says the gentleman. "Well, it is not of much value as a musical instrument in its present condition, but when properly restored would command a considerable price. The restoration will cost some pounds and be a fairly good investment."

"You had better do it and to your best ability," answers the gentleman, "and please send it home when done."

The two visitors make their departure and then James is called for a moment by his chief, "Hi! James, just look at this bit of repairing."

The assistant takes the violin in his hands, looks over it and laughs. "Not trained properly, sir, at mending; what a plaster it has got underneath the bridge! and there's a large one underneath the post too; there's strength there if nothing else."

"Well, James, we must get both of those out and put something in more to the purpose, the gentleman wants it done well and we must make it sound properly to please him and his daughter. From the manner in which those patches are inserted and their thickness—they are stouter than the tables themselves—there would be very little tone. Well I never! they've glued the sound post in."

This discovery caused a good laugh from both. "We must have the upper table off at once, James," continued the chief. "But how about the post, sir?" interposes his assistant; "it looks as if it will hold on tight." "Well, you must take a fine chisel and work it in two before you commence the opening."

James retires to his corner, and taking up a small chisel stuck in a short handle of his own fitting, he inserts it carefully through the right sound-hole, chipping the post gradually down one side, then turning the violin round on the cushion, he works away at the post through the other, and although from the extra distance from this, the chisel has a weaker hold, there is less substance to work through, the greater part having been worked away at the first attack.

The way is now clear for removing the upper table, which James does after some trouble in working his knife along between the edging and the upper part of the ribs, in consequence of the glueing having been done with a bountiful hand, and the parts pressed together tightly, so much so as to show very distinctly where the screw cramps had been wound up.

The exposed interior is brought before the gaze of the chief, who looks at it for a while, then remarks, "Very bad, but I have seen the like often before, and suppose will do so many times again.

"Give it a cleaning, James, they've fastened the plaster on to the dirty wood, and I expect the hold is very slight if at all in parts."

"No, sir, I tapped it about, and found some hollow spaces that would admit my small knife; the plaster had not been cut evenly, and then not pressed equally all over. The back seems about as bad, although it being thick does not need any support."

"No, James, the repairers, if we may give them such an honourable title, wanted to show that something had been done for the money charged. Give the interior a clean out with warm water and sponge, leave some wet rags over those plasters, and when the damp has soaked through, you can soon get your gouge underneath and pull them off, washing the surfaces afterwards."

This having been done as requested, the two parts are again brought before the chief, who forthwith takes a pair of calipers; these he applies carefully to both upper and lower tables in turn, moving them over in all directions. "I declare, James," he then observes, "there is no necessity for any patches or plasters anywhere; there is a very weak upper rib that has been so knocked about by several mendings, and spoilt inside and out, besides being riddled by insects, that we must make or fix a fresh piece in its place. Now, this fiddle being worth the trouble, you must see if you can make the repair so neat as to be almost invisible even when closely examined."

"Well, sir, I'll try at it," is the reply, this being a kind of repair that James will take much pleasure in, to show his dexterity of handling and clean cutting.

The first thing is to hunt among some pieces of old ribs for a part that will match well. This takes some time. At last an old rib is found that appears just the thing—a part of it only will be required.

The next requisite is a mould or piece of wood cut exactly to the curve of the inside of the rib; this must not be roughly done, or any idea of "near enough" being thought of; if it does not fit exactly, then the pressure to come against it will be unequal in parts. If cut from a little block of soft wood the cutting will not take long, and the trouble be amply repaid by the result.

An exterior mould will be as necessary as an interior, and if the original rib is of fairly equal substance, the two moulds may be tried one against the other, and should fit nicely.

The ragged openings and rotten part of the original rib having been carefully examined with regard to the size of the fresh piece to be inserted, a line is marked by soft chalk as to the position and extent to be covered by the fresh wood. The aperture to admit the fresh piece of rib must be determined upon exactly, and be cut with the utmost neatness. Before doing this, however, the question must be gone into, and settled definitely, as to whether the fresh piece is to be pressed on from the outside or from the inside.

The choice must be in favour of the more convenient, or that which will be most likely to lead to the best results. As the sides of the aperture taken longitudinally must be cut at an acute angle and not upright, the convenience of cutting the edges of the opening from the outside will be decidedly better and more handy for obtaining the desirable sharpness of edge.

As a matter of course, the piece must be tried on again and again until it is clearly a good fit all round. When in a satisfactory state it will, when tried finally, be elevated a trifle above the surrounding wood.

The angle at which the upper and lower portions fit has no need to be cut so acutely as at the ends.

Everything being ready, including some strong clean glue, this latter will require painting over the surfaces that are to be closed together until absorption has ceased, and not before this are the parts to be brought home, or the absorption or soaking into the wood will continue, leaving no glue for holding the two surfaces.

When quite ready, the interior block of wood or mould will be held in position by the hand.

As usual, the piece of paper on the face of the mould will be used for preventing the glue holding on to it. The piece of fresh rib is now placed in position, and the outer mould (faced with paper, of course), applied. The screw cramps are now affixed, tightly wound up, and left for drying.

After ascertaining that all the glued parts are perfectly dry and therefore hard, the cramps, moulds and paper may be removed. If any paper should be found adhering a moistened rag will easily remove it.

The next proceeding will be that of levelling down and removing any unevenness, on the outside especially. If the fitting has been very accurately effected there will not remain much to do in this line. For the inside a piece of glass-paper folded over a curved block of wood, or the actual mould that has been in use, will serve the purpose if not too large. This can be rubbed backward and forward till the surface is level. For the outside a slightly different treatment will be preferable, that is, a portion of glass-paper of the finest grain placed as before in front of a block of wood. There is no necessity for it being a very close fit so long as it is even in surface.

This should have some oil of a drying nature put on the surface, a little dabbed on with the tip of the finger will be enough.

A fine surface, after a little passing backward and forward over it, adding a little oil now and then, will be obtained.

The advantage of the use of oil is, firstly, the ease in use and the smoothness of the surface and absence of harshness, secondly, as it will have penetrated the wood to some extent it will prevent the varnish, that eventually will have to be applied, from sinking into the pores.

Many otherwise excellent repairs have been spoilt from the neglect of this simple precaution; without it, the glass-paper leaves a dry, finely torn or raw surface which absorbs very readily the coloured varnish that will, in sinking, look much more intense, uneven and totally unlike the surrounding old varnish, which, it is most desirable, should be as closely as possible imitated.

All these particulars, rules, and precautions, having been carefully attended to by James, the instrument is at last brought by him in as advanced a state as possible to his master, the latter always reserving to himself the final touches or finishing and regulating.

About this time another caller, an amateur in a state of great excitement, brings a violin case hurriedly in, and coming up to the chief without any ceremony, says, while undoing the buckle of the straps binding the leather covering: "Oh, my favourite violin is ruined, its back is broken, and I feel sure you can't do it up; it is a Venetian Montagnana that I have had so many years, and that you—yes, even you—admired. You don't say much as a rule in favour of anything I bring you, but you said this was the only good thing I had about me; it is past your power to put right again, I am afraid." "Then why did you bring it to me," says the chief, "if it is impossible for me to remedy the breakage? let me see it."

The case having been nervously opened by the owner, the violin, after a glance, is lifted out by the chief, the owner looking on in a state of great perturbation. "Please be very careful," he says, as the practised hand of the master turns it about, looks at it here and there, over one way and then the other. "Why, its back is not broken; where is the fracture?"—"Don't you see, all the way down, it is quite loose and open?"

Another turn round or so, and the chief exclaims, "Oh, you mean the joint of the back is open—that is not broken; I did not see it at first as the light was going in the same direction; we can put that right again for you."—"Here, James!" he calls out, "just look at this; is it past our mending?" James casts his eye over it for a second or two, and says, "No sir, I've done up that kind o' thing over and over again." Then, turning to the owner, "Two against one, you see."

The amateur looks at the instrument with great earnestness for a moment or two, then observes: "You will have, I suppose, to take it all to pieces to do that kind of repair, eh?"

"Oh no," replied the chief, "we shall close that up without undoing any part of it except taking the strings and sound-post away." At this moment he has inserted the post-setter and pushed the post a little, which proceeding causes the back to open wider, the mouth of the owner opening widely also, accompanied by an increase in the general appearance of anguish.

"There now," says the repairer, "just that little extra pressure from the sound-post enables us to see how far the opening extends; it is not all the way along, and there does not appear to be anything to prevent it coming together evenly again."

The chief now dexterously, with the point of the "setter," takes the sound-post out, the owner looking on with some amount of astonishment.

"You call in the day after to-morrow, sir, and I hope you will find it as right as ever."

These words have a cheering effect on the owner. "You are sure that will not be too soon," he observes. "Oh no," replies the other, "we shall put three or four studs along the centre, inside, and that will prevent it going again."

"But how," rejoins the owner, "are you going to put studs along the joint inside without opening the instrument?"—he was getting interested.

"Well, you leave that to us, sir, and we will tell you afterwards." This was said in consequence of a fear that the amateur would be using the time of the establishment, and as a result the amateur and owner walked away satisfied.



CHAPTER XVII.

INSERTION OF STUDS ALONG THE JOINT INSIDE WITHOUT OPENING THE VIOLIN—LINING OR VENEERING A THIN BACK.

At the appointed time, not any earlier, the amateur makes his appearance, inquiring somewhat anxiously as to whether the violin was finished, or more precisely speaking from fear, whether the repairer had succeeded in restoring the instrument to playing order? "Oh, yes," is the response, "and goes better than it could have done for some time back. You see its complaint has been coming on for some time, beginning with a slight opening at the lower part, and continuous playing with the strain of tuning up now and then extended it, until the time when it became of such magnitude that you could not help observing it. Being gradual in its progress, the tone getting worse by gentle degrees, was also unobserved by you."

On this, the violin being handed to its owner, a close examination is made all over the outside, and through the sound-holes.

"Well, really," the owner at last breaks out with, "it is most beautifully done! I should not have thought it possible, and however did you manage to get all those little squares of wood ranged in a line inside, and you said you would do it without breaking open the violin, and—tell me how it was done!"

"Then I will keep my promise if you have patience. It is not a very difficult matter to those used to such things; you see the first thing was to get the outer part clear of any impurities that would prevent the glue from getting a tight hold of the surfaces that are to be held in contact; the next, to work some strong glue along the course of the joint, this by gentle and regular pressure alternately each side of the line, is gradually drawn in, the whole length is then wiped with a cloth and pressure applied to keep the joint closed, and the whole allowed to dry. When so, the interior is attended to, a clean damp brush, small enough to pass down either of the sound-holes, is worked backwards for a short time along the joint, just enough to remove the slight accumulation of dust and prepare the wood for the reception of glue. Then the little squares of sycamore being ready, are pricked in the centre with this pointed iron wire, and taken up one by one; on each occasion a globule of strong glue is dropped on the under surface.

"The wire with its attachment of stud and globule is carefully passed down through the sound-hole, which one must depend much on circumstances and light available, being cautiously lowered until the little square of wood is exactly over the joint and gently pressed down on to it.

"Care is taken, of course, to place it on the exact spot; if not accurately in position, a slight push with the same wire or another or greater strength is given, and then a little more pressure on the top.

"When this is done, others are inserted in the same way, and as far along the joint as can be reached with the wires. After having dried, the glue which had oozed up round the square will be found to have decreased so much as to be but little perceptible—thus you see how it was done. Do not try this yourself unless you have become expert by long practice in repairing generally, as you may probably find this more taxing to your nerves than you may be aware of, besides finding it a difficult and dirty job getting any mislaid pieces out again."

This last piece of friendly advice is quite to the taste of the amateur, who, being a non-practical man, is wise in abstaining from meddling in directions for which he has no natural bent, and unlike the numerous tribe of would-be repairers who think that any person who can use glue and cut a piece of wood can engage in the restoration of such a small instrument as a violin.

Our amateur, when arrived home, naturally enough shows his restored violin to his friends, one of whom has been looking at it for some time, and at last says: "That's the repairer for me, where does he live? My violin is sadly in want of proper attention, and I think it requires stronger measures for its cure than yours."

The address is readily given, and the instrument duly taken round to our chief and his assistant. The statement having been made as to recommendation, after an inspection of the very nice restoration of his friend's violin, the new-comer takes out his violin from its case and places it before the chief, who turns it over and over, looking at each fraction of an inch without seeing much the matter with it.

The owner at last breaks in with the remark that a violin maker residing where he lately came from had told him that the instrument would never go properly unless the back was re-lined—that was perhaps the term used.

The chief then rejoins: "I think the repairer was very likely hitting the mark when he said that; this is one of those old violins of the Brescian school, which are often too thin in the back for modern usage, and there is no other resource but that of lining—or veneering, some would call it—the back. If you like I will open it, and ascertain whether it is so with this instrument."

Consent is given, and the chief goes to the back of his premises, and returns with a much-worn table knife. Sitting calmly down before the new arrival, and resting the instrument face downwards on his lap, he proceeds with sundry slow but strong thrusts of the knife round the junction of the ribs with the upper table; the cracking sounds emitted as the knife gradually works its way along are rather trying to the owner, who, however, has confidence in the reputation of the master-hand at the kind of work. After a little extra pushing here and there, and lifting gently to ascertain whether the parting is complete, the upper table is at last lifted quite clear of the rest.

The owner at once asks, "Is the back in a very bad state?" "Well," is the reply, "it is in such a dirty condition that it is not possible to tell.—Here, James, bring me that water and sponge!" These being at once brought, with a cloth in addition, the chief at once begins bathing the inside, giving a heavier rub in different parts, as some appearances suggest the extra treatment.

At last, after some few minutes of this application, the cloth is applied, and the interior assumes a cleaner aspect.

"Never being cleaned out since it was made, I should think," is the observation, "excepting once," he adds, as his practised eye lights on a small, but thick stud resting over a small crack at one side, "and that was a very long time ago, possibly a hundred and fifty years." "Does it require the 'lining'—I think that is what it was called?" "Yes, it will be so much better for it, almost necessary."

The owner soon after departs, and the chief and his assistant proceed to work upon the violin. In general condition it happens to be very good, the one opening referred to being the time at which the modern bar had been attached in place of the very old and small-sized one. The fingerboard being old is easily removed by a sudden pull or jerk. After further cleaning with the aid of a hog-hair brush, this being adapted for getting more completely into the corners, both parts of the violin—they have both had a cleaning and looks more wholesome—are placed aside to dry.

When this has taken place to the satisfaction of both master and man, the back is rubbed over with an oiled rag, the object of this being to prevent the mould now to be taken from sticking to it.

Some good plaster of Paris is mixed, and a sufficient quantity placed on it till a coating an inch and a half in thickness is produced; this amount is necessary owing to the tendency to get out of form or warp if too thin, failures having often resulted therefrom.

When well hardened, this mould is lifted off; it comes away easily, showing a perfect facsimile in reverse of the back of the violin. This is carefully wiped, and any small specks of plaster that may be adhering are picked off.

The mould has now to be dried, as it would otherwise—from the large amount of moisture within it—undo the back, or any cracks that may have been glued up.

Placing in a moderately warm oven is as good a method as any, the natural drying by open air, even in sunny weather, being a long process.

After being tested and found to contain no moisture whatever, the mould is placed upon a bench, and the surface which has been in contact with the curved form of the back receives a slight oiling with a brush. This will prevent as much as possible injury to the varnished surface of the violin when placed in it. This may be further helped by a sheet of soft paper or soft cotton being placed between, when the back of the violin is laid in the mould.

Before proceeding further, there will necessarily be the preparations made in connection with the piece of veneer that is to be glued to the back.

In order that this may be as equally as possible pressed into the shape, there must be another mould made; this will be of some soft wood that will cut easily into shape, and be made to fit as near as can be to the back.

Next a layer or portion of cork about one-eighth of an inch thick, and large enough to cover the whole of the veneer, will be required. Some repairers would prefer india rubber or other yielding substances, which will fit into any unevenness while sustaining great pressure. This last will be caused by the press or large cramp, which must be very strong.

All the foregoing being ready to hand, the veneer being cut down to the amount required, perhaps to a pencilled line marked on it for width and length, it will be wetted; being of slight substance, it will soon absorb sufficient moisture to remain damp during and over the time the other preparations are made.

All being in readiness, the back being laid down accurately in its bed of hard plaster of Paris, the cloth or paper having been placed between, the cleansed and dried surface of the table is brushed over with the strong glue which, if the apartment is of sufficiently high temperature, will not coagulate or set, but give time for the brushing of glue on one side of the veneer. This is at once placed in position on the glued surface of the violin table; it is then covered with some thin, soft paper, the cake of cork or india rubber being laid over it. More carefully than all, the carved piece of wood that is to be pressed down must be exactly in its right place, and above this, other slices, so that the pressure may be distributed well, and not merely on one spot.

For this a goodly pile will be of advantage; to be quite scientific in its proportion, an imaginary line drawn from the central point of the pressure above to the outside or margin of the field of pressure at the lowest part, should not be at more than an angle of forty-five degrees.

Attention being paid to the foregoing, and the press or large screw cramp being already in position, the pressure, which must be great, is applied.

The glue will be seen oozing out between the surfaces of the table and its veneer; this can be wiped off easily, and save the trouble of removal when dry and hard.

Necessarily, a longer time will be consumed in thorough drying and hardening in a case like this than in an ordinary repair in which the atmosphere can more readily obtain access. When quite ready, the pressure and the pieces of wood, paper, cork, or indiarubber can be one by one released, and the simple veneer, now firmly attached to the lower table of the violin, can have its edges trimmed round with gouge, chisel, or scraper, and finally glass-papered to a good finish.

When neatly done, the edging of the veneer will decline gradually in thickness, and die off all round.

There is nothing further to be done now, but seeing that the bar is right in proportion, position, and fitting.



CHAPTER XVIII.

THE BAR IN OLDEN TIMES—THE MODERN ONE—THE OPERATION OF FITTING AND FIXING THE BAR—CLOSING AND COMPLETION OF THE REPAIRS—VARNISHING OF THE REPAIRED PARTS HAVING FRESH WOOD.

Much false reasoning upon insufficient premises has at times on and off been bestowed upon the subject of the bar and its supposed mysteries. Space at command will not allow of a dissertation on this detail of the constitution of the violin. A few remarks will perhaps be sufficient for present purposes. When violins were first sent forth by their inventor, Gasparo da Salo, the bar was sometimes omitted, possibly in all the earliest ones, the strain on the upper table being then slight as compared with that of the present day—at others it was very short and weak. The substance of the upper table was considerable, and much over that which the later and modern makers approve of, and thus there was a counter-balance.

At the present time still stronger bars are inserted, and very frequently without rule or reason. Occasionally a coarse bar will allow of good results as regards the emission of the tone, the length and thickness happening to be suitable to the proportions in detail of the instrument. A weakness at each end of the bar is an oft-recurring cause of bad going with regard to the vibrations.

From this we may infer that when the bar was first thought of and inserted it was simply with an idea of supporting the part over which the third and fourth strings were stretched, and that as the tension of the strings became greater in consequence of the rise in the pitch, so the bar had to be increased in strength, that is, longer and deeper. The discovery or unearthing of an old master in its original condition will therefore be followed by the opening and re-barring for the emission of the tone according to modern ideas; these may be summed up as the getting of the largest amount of tone accompanied by freedom of vibration or ring.

As the removal of a defective or weakly bar and its renewal and fixing in accordance with the best knowledge of the subject is an operation that should be seldom attempted by other than an experienced professional repairer, it may be as well to pay another visit to our chief and his assistant, James.

After some lapse of time we find on looking in at the establishment that there is no perceptible change in the working or general routine; violins innumerable have come and gone and still seem likely to do so for ever.

The chief has been occupying a few minutes looking through a newspaper, not so much in connection with his business, which, as no doubt will have long since been perceived, is a private or personal one, he is simply keeping up with the times in reading about what is going on outside his own little world.

James, notwithstanding his lesser amount of artistic and scientific knowledge than the chief, has been steadily improving in his own way, that of implicitly following directions put forward for his guidance and given with so many axioms, the result of long experience and watchfulness. It is a warm day and really heavy work would not be to the disposition of either master or man.

Looking through the doorway into the workshop at the back, James can be seen sitting as quietly and contentedly as his master in the front. He is engaged on some fitting of small pieces into some fractures of the upper table of a Stradivari. Having been told to do them neatly, cleanly and with every precaution, experience and deft handling of tools, he has got these latter into nice cutting order. The finest and even semi-transparent shavings will have to come from the fractures and the portions of wood to be inserted therein. James has by this time acquired considerable neatness in the treatment of "delicate jobs," as he calls such as the present. His tools have had special attention in the keenness of their edge and he thinks that when all is finished the violin will be as good as new, and very little of the damage done while in charge of the owner will be perceptible unless hunted for. He argues within himself that the greatest amount of expenditure of muscle work and fitting together of ever so many parts has been done by himself, and therefore the honour ought to be principally his, in fact the fiddle is more of his make than that of old Strad. His ruminations are stopped rather suddenly by the voice of the chief, who calls out, "I say, James, what about the re-barring of the Maggini that Miss Winks left a week back?"

"Well, sir, she called again yesterday, and said she didn't think it would be done, because we seemed slow people, but intended to call again in three days."

"Perhaps you had better set to work, James. Have you got everything ready for placing the bar?"

"Yes, sir, everything except the bar itself, which is not cut to shape yet."

"Well, let me see it. Is it of nice straight grain and from the stock of that old Italian?"

"Yes, I've picked out a piece that appears to me just the thing; it only wants the curve cutting to fit the upper table, and that is quite clean and regular without any slips of the tool in cutting the old one out, which I think was the original one."

The chief gives two or three glances over the work, his accustomed eye being ready to catch any little fault likely to have been made by his man.

"That surface, James, for a Maggini, is remarkably even; as often as not the gouge marks are left, making a close fit of the bar an impossibility, let me see the bar."

The piece of wood is produced; the Maggini being a full fourteen inches in length of body, the proposed bar is cut to ten and a half inches in length and seems to the chief to be satisfactory.

"You can now go on, James; let me see the bar before you glue it in."

The upper table of the Maggini and the bar are taken away by James, who goes at once to work with the necessary preparation for placing the bar in position correctly.

With a rather soft lead pencil he marks off the length from each end of the table that the bar will occupy, that is, a little over at the lower end than the upper, the exact distance from the joint or central line, a trifle, perhaps eighth of an inch nearer at the upper part, letting the middle or thickest part of the bar be at the spot where the foot of the bridge will rest.

After this the bar, at present straight and about three-quarters of an inch high all along its course, has marked upon the part that has to remain uppermost some indication to the fancy of the operator that will keep in mind which end is to be placed at the upper part.

This being done, he commences with a chisel to cut away portions at each end, and tries on the surface of the part to be fitted to. After two or three times the chiselling has to be more finely done until the closest fit possible is obtained; it is then ready for fixing. The bar is as yet quite straight along the upper part. With regard to the levelling of the bar to the curve of the interior part of the upper table, there used to be a custom in the repairing business of "putting the bar in with a spring" as it was termed. The repairers always spoke of it as "the regular thing to do," but on being asked questions as to how much and under what circumstances the "spring" would be best one way or the other, became somewhat reticent, possibly from fear of being led into some scientific depths from which it might not be easy to extricate themselves. James, however, has been taught differently in the management of this portion of his work; he having found from close examination that the rise of the curving on the outside on the bar side was quite high enough, went on with the operation.

Had the bar side been in a sunken condition, his chief would have required him to restore the elevation by the wetting process before alluded to.

The accessories, glue and cramps being in readiness, two pieces of thick hard brown paper are folded together to go over the varnished surface of the upper table. This will be quite thick enough, as any more will cause a liability to press the bar into the wood when under the influence of the damp of the glue. This result is often seen in violins that have been through the hands of inexperienced repairers, there being an elevation at each end where the bar terminates when the violin has been strung up.

Cramps are used of sufficient width for reaching over the border at each end and quite on to the end of the bar. James, after his repeated trials as to the closeness of the relation of the curve of the bar to that of the table, takes it to the chief as commanded, who expresses his satisfaction and orders the completing process to be gone through.

The curved surface of the bar is wetted and some glue placed along, the part of the table with which it is to be in contact is also wetted, but not much. After a few minutes for the glue to soak in, the final glueing is done along the course on the table and the curved course of the bar; the latter is then placed in position and first one cramp at one end is fixed, then the other; the screwing down is very gently done, James, from experience, knowing just how much and no more. The hard brown paper between the cramps and their padded or corked ends prevents any injury to the varnish.

For the central and adjacent portions of the bar to be pressed, James uses at times wooden cramps with a longer reach, and treating all parts of the bar with gentle but sufficient pressure, being meanwhile careful that the pressure is not directed on one side but direct downwards; he knows that if this is not strictly attended to, the bar will be twisted and when dry, or even finished, will not appear straight but curved along its course.

James having seen that this part of the operation has proceeded satisfactorily, places the table away to dry, and when so, the cramps are removed and the table examined by the chief. All being assumed to be satisfactory, James is told to go on with the shaping down of the bar, which is done with a chisel held with the bevel downwards, this being safer and less likely to slip.

This having been done to the curving desired by the chief, the glass-papering to a nice even surface and finish is proceeded with, and the operation may be said to be completed.

We now come to the closing down of the upper table. This last is a final process that when done clumsily, hurriedly, or in many ways improperly, has been the cause of much damage, if not positive destruction, to many good or valuable works of the great masters and others.

Before deciding upon the precise moment for this important stage of repairing, there should be a most careful investigation of the condition of the whole of the interior of the instrument.

Without this there is the possibility of fine splinters of wood, or cracks, being left unattended to that may announce themselves when all is supposed to be in readiness for the bow, by a jarring, or, when the bow is applied, by a buzzing which will take all the knowledge, experience and guessing, perhaps more, that can be brought to bear upon the matter without any practical result, excepting perhaps that of the necessity of re-opening.

If found out before closing down, neighbouring parts should be rigidly examined, as a slight, almost invisible fracture, will, on testing, be frequently found to be much more extensive than was at first suspected.

Gentle tappings may be tried and testings of resistance to bending at the same, keeping the light at right angles to enable the slightest opening or fracture to show itself and be at once placed under treatment. When every test proves the instrument to be sound and ready for closing up, preparations may be commenced.

There is probably no one of the different details of repairing that gives more evidence than this of the kind of workman engaged upon it.

It may almost be said that this is rarely done as it ought to be in the manner that can be described as being good in every way for the purpose, and neatly done.

The bad manner of closing has been, more frequently than any other, the means of putting the whole instrument out of order, gradually distorting, if not actually bringing it to ruin as a work of art, and to destruction as a means of producing good musical sounds.

Judging by the ways adopted by many inferior grades of repairers, professional and amateur, the closing down of the upper table is thought to be a trifling matter and simply that of passing some glue on a brush rapidly round where the ribs are to come into contact with the table, clapping it down, placing the cramps round, screwing them tight, and, if the weather is cold, acting with more rapidity.

Ten minutes may be said to be the average time that this performance takes, and in the majority of cases is thought to be a good one.

But not so by a really competent, painstaking repairer. From his view this operation is to be one of the most cautiously conducted ones in the whole series of joinings in connection with the repairing or constructing of the violin.

As with other processes, there is more than one way of doing a thing and that well.

I recollect in early days being acquainted with an exceeding dexterous amateur in cabinet making, the principal part of whose furniture, in a large house, was his own individual and unaided workmanship. He also combined with this the making of violins, and of them I have a recollection of their exceedingly neat workmanship, being, in fact, ahead in that respect of many professional makers of the time. I often received from him hints as to the best methods of overcoming many little mechanical difficulties.

Once I was telling him about the dexterous manipulation required in fixing accurately and swiftly the upper table. There was the difficulty of getting perhaps the two end parts in position and fixing with sufficient rapidity before the glue had stiffened or set at the other parts.

He asked me why I wanted "to do this all at once, instead of a part at a time? He never did it."

He then proceeded to show me that the glue might be applied to the two end blocks and the corresponding parts of the table that were to be affixed, and these cramped exactly and with comparative ease, in their proper position. This being done, a very thin worn table knife could be used for working in glue at the other parts and the cramping down proceeded with as before.

Another way suggested itself to me some time after, which in careful hands would be still more adapted for accurate fitting. It is as follows:—Having seen that the opposing surfaces or parts that are to be affixed to each other are quite level, fit each other, have been cleaned and are free from any oiliness or greasy particles, the glue is neatly brushed round the parts requiring it, both upper table and ribs being treated. The corner and end blocks, if new, will require more than one coating, and these to be allowed to dry, as the end of the grain is very absorbent.

Assuming that the glue is sufficient in quantity all round, it may be allowed to dry.

The upper table can now be tested for a good fit by laying it, and noticing whether the marginal projection over the ribs is regular or not; in some instances a little humouring or averaging of this projection has to be made, especially when the instrument is very old, and bears evidence of much trouble under the hands of repairers of different degrees of skill, experience and patience.

This being found satisfactory, a slight brushing of thin glue over the upper and lower end blocks will be enough before placing the table in position and cramping them down.

For the other parts the thin knife will be sufficient, wetted and worked between, the cramps being applied as before.

This way of closing up dispenses with all cause for hurry. The exact amount of glue can be calculated without danger of over-loading, and the next necessary opening for repairs can be effected without the least risk of damage to the margin of the upper table. By this method there is no occasion for wiping superfluous glue from underneath the over-lapping edge, as there will not be any perceptible, or, indeed, present, when tidily done.

Sufficient time being allowed for drying—a little longer for the end blocks, these being more hidden and slowly affected by the atmosphere—the cramps may be removed.

As a final process, the varnishing over the parts that have been repaired may be touched upon.

The success of this so much depends upon the natural talent of the operator for matching colours and mixing of different gums for obtaining as close as possible resemblance to the surrounding work, that any hard and fast rules concerning it cannot be laid down.

An alcoholic mixture is almost invariably used for the covering of raw repairs, time scarcely ever being available for the use of an oil varnish.

The most commonly used basis is a lac varnish. The ease with which this is dissolved and manipulated is a temptation to use it at times when it would be the least desirable for the imitation of old varnish. One great fault in connection with it is its retaining a glare on the surface when hardened, and the undesirable aspect is given of polished spots where repairs have been going on. There is only one way of counteracting this—by mixing other gums or resins that have less or but little glare when hard. Those of a very astringent quality should be avoided, as when dry their pulling power or contraction is very great, and a cracked surface not at all like the rich fused appearance of many of the old masters, but dry and uninteresting, will make itself too evident.

By a carefully-calculated mixture of soft and hard gums, with a little transparent colouring matter when necessary, a very good if not highly successful imitation of the surrounding work can be accomplished, such as will prevent the repair "catching the eye" too soon, for it must do so eventually when hunted for. The density of colouring and thickness of the principal component parts must always be studied, as the same depth of tint by a very thin layer as that of a thick one will not have the same effect, and one or the other, when making a contrast with the adjacent old surface, will be conspicuous as a failure.

A few hints may be acceptable as to material and the management of it. We will assume, for instance, that a portion of the upper table of a rather deep brown-red old master has been repaired, and a slice of comparatively light coloured or new wood has been inserted as a necessity, the grain as a matter of course having been matched to the best of the ability of the repairer.

The first step taken will be that of putting a nice clean even surface over the fresh wood, and in such a manner, that on passing the hand or finger over it, no lumps, edges, or rough spots are felt. Having brushed the dust or powdered wood away, the colour of the wood will have to be lowered or subdued, otherwise the whiteness will obtrude itself and stare through any carefully selected varnish. This, for good effect, will be found advisable with the repairing of any old instrument.

The precautions to be taken at this stage are respecting the quality or disposition of the stain (as we may call it). The stains ordinarily sold for colouring wood are quite useless for present purposes, as they are absorbed between the threads, leaving these by contrast very light and the reverse of what is desirable.

A very weak solution in water of bichromate of potash will lower the colour sufficiently for most purposes, and when quite dry the wood will (having swelled with the moisture) require the fine glass-papering again, after which, the next stage can be proceeded with.

The solution of nitric acid in water should be avoided, as, although giving a fairly good lowering of the tint, it destroys the soft parts of the wood, and, further, causes an odour that may cause annoyance to the musician and suspicion to the expert.

Another solution may be recommended, that of the black liquorice, which is a transparent brown, and naturally hard. Judgment will have to be exercised in the management of either of the above solutions that they are not put on too heavily.

The staining being effected, a slight coat of a diluted or light tint of the upper or deeply coloured varnish may be painted over and left to dry.

If time is not an important item for consideration, a turpentine varnish may be applied.

An excellent first colouring can be effected with the transparent preparation of gamboge. This material has for long, perhaps always, been in request for coloured varnish, as it can be used with (after due preparation) either alcohol, turpentine or oil. If dissolved in the last, the drying will take so long as to be practically useless to the repairer. The turpentine solution is more rapid, but not sufficiently so for the restorer under ordinary circumstances.

It will be therefore plain that an alcoholic solution of gums or resins will have to be relied on for obtaining the best results when time is limited.

The solution of gamboge in alcohol is, when used alone, too weak or insufficient in body; it is therefore advisable to incorporate with it some other material of a resinous or gummy nature, but such as will not impair the transparency. Among the most useful are the bleached or white shellac. This, as it leaves the manufactory, is not always in a condition for immediate use by the restorer; it should be washed in water and then dried well, pounded up and placed in a bottle with about four-fifths of alcohol; after remaining in solution for some days the clear portion can be poured into another bottle and retained for use.

This, when used alone in its colourless condition, will possibly have, when dry, too much glare upon its surface, but the colouring matters put into it may oppose this sufficiently.

The use of a little gum guacum in solution will be found occasionally advantageous; this gum is fairly hard and will lower the colour and prevent too much of an approach to gaudiness, that is, if a highly coloured varnish has been found necessary. When it is desirable to dispense with lac of any kind in the varnish, other materials can be found that will perhaps answer the purpose as well, if not better; a solution of benzoin has no colour sufficient in itself and therefore may be used as a priming or mixing with the gamboge or with dragon's blood if that is desirable; the latter, like the gamboge, requires something to give it body.

Dragon's blood will soon let the operator know that its power of colouring to a staring degree will require suppression. To lessen its strength the following may be taken as an excellent means, and will reduce the violence ad libitum. With a lighted candle, wax for preference, smoke a piece of clean glass, and with a camel hair brush remove the black and stir it carefully with the coloured varnish. Care must be taken that too large a quantity is not put in, or an unpleasant tone, even blackness, will be the result.

With regard to the strength of the red, the same precautions must be taken: on comparing the varnish of a very red old master of Italy, say a Landolphi, with some made with a fairly strong solution of resin and dragon's blood, the violence of colour in the latter will be very apparent. At a little distance off the old master will look very modest while the other will seem coarse and vulgar.

For softening purposes a very small quantity of gum thrus may be used, too much will result in tackiness.

For hardening, sandarac has its place and usefulness, although, as with the naturally soft gums and resins which return to their original condition after the solvent has evaporated, great care must be taken to use a very small proportion.

A mixture of sandarac and shellac will result in an extremely hard and almost insoluble varnish, a very undesirable covering for a musical instrument of any kind as it wears badly, that is, suddenly and harshly with a rough fractured edge, instead of the gentle thinning-away under usage, seen with a delicate yielding material.

Acroydes is an Australian "grass gum," with very little recommendation, as in any considerable amount, it impairs the transparency of the other gums with which it may be mixed.

For a brown colour, a little burnt sugar will give a good tint, although too much will spoil the consistency of the other ingredients, and the whole will be easily affected by damp. Aloes, of which there are several kinds, have been used as a colouring ingredient, but the results are not on the whole to be considered as good.

Of the different lacs, or as it ought to be termed, condition of the resin, as they are all from the same source, seed lac and garnet lac, in proportion with other resins, will be found to have considerable colouring matter and requiring very little in addition.

For our present purposes, those of varnishing fresh parts of injured violins, the above mentioned component materials will be found, when in good proportion, according to the experience of the operator, to be nearly all that would be desirable in imitating the surrounding work.

There is nothing that can be suggested to enable a careless or incompetent repairer to achieve good results without care or calculation, and these two are an absolute necessity when the repair and restoration of a violin at all worthy of the name is the subject in hand. Innumerable effects may be obtained by changing the proportion of groundwork or priming, and top or coloured varnish. As the celebrated old Italian varnish was not one kind but very many different kinds, it is more than probable that the different results obtained by the celebrated liutaros consisted to a greater extent in the manner of the application than any wonderful quality of material. Of this subject much might be written which would fill many times over the capacity of our present volume.

A few words more may be said in conclusion regarding the varnishing of new work on old violins; it must not be supposed that for the imitation of the surrounding work an exact repetition of the old Italian process with the identical substances used by the liutaros would be absolutely necessary for perfect or near success; it must be borne in mind that old varnish near the spot with its partial decay, probably from many causes, has to be imitated, and that what would be a great success with regard to a small space, might in all probability prove a signal failure when the whole instrument is so treated.

As a final stage, a freshly varnished portion (and over newly inserted wood), will require a little rubbing down (as it is termed); this may be done with some of the finest and worn glass-paper, finely ground pumice and oil, with a last turn of tripoli powder or rotten stone with oil. This should be done only when the varnish is quite dry and hard.

THE END.



ADVERTISEMENTS.



FOURTEENTH YEAR OF ISSUE.

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THE STRAD

A Monthly Journal for Professionals and Amateurs of all Stringed Instruments played with the Bow.

Published on the First of every Month. Price 2d., Annual Subscription, Post Free, 2s. 6d. For the Colonies and Abroad. 3s.

THE STRAD is the only recognised organ of the string family and has subscribers in every country of the civilised world. Our circulation has increased to so great an extent that we are enabled to engage as contributors

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THE STRAD contains technical articles by the leading artists.

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THE STRAD gives early critical notices of all important New Music for Stringed Instruments, with numbers to show the grade of difficulty of every piece.

The following serial articles now appearing:

Joseph Guarnerius. By HORACE PETHERICK.

This series of articles contains a minute critical analysis of this great maker's work, and the author claims to have discovered in Andreas Gisalberti (a maker almost unknown at the present day), the teacher of Joseph Guarnerius, a conclusion arrived at after the most convincing evidence, which he puts forward in a very able and readable manner. Full page illustrations of violins by Joseph Guarnerius and Andreas Gisalberti are given.

Selected Violin Solos and How to Play them. By BASIL ALTHAUS, F.C.V. Illustrated with music examples.

Specimen Copy, 2-1/2d., Post Free.

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"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. I.

Crown 8vo., Cloth, 2/6, Post Free, 2/9.

"THE STRAD" LIBRARY EDITION is the only Authorised Edition of

Technics of Violin Playing ON JOACHIM'S METHOD BY CARL COURVOISIER, With Folding Plates, containing Fifteen Illustrations.

LETTER FROM DR. JOACHIM [COPY]

MY DEAR MR. COURVOISIER: I have read the book on Violin Playing you have sent me, and have to congratulate you sincerely on the manner in which you have performed a most difficult task, i.e., to describe the best way of arriving at a correct manner of playing the violin.

It cannot but be welcome to thoughtful teachers, who reflect on the method of our art, and I hope that your work will prove useful to many students.

Believe me, my dear Mr. Courvoisier, to be most faithfully yours, JOSEPH JOACHIM. Berlin, November 3rd, 1894.

The New and Revised Edition of "Technics of Violin Playing," issued by THE STRAD, is the only authorised edition of my work. The several English Editions which have all appeared without my knowledge are incomplete and faulty.

CARL COURVOISIER.



"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. II.

Crown 8vo., Cloth, 2/6, Post Free, 2/9.

HOW TO STUDY THE VIOLIN By J. T. CARRODUS.

CONTENTS.

Strings and Tuning. The Bow and Bowing. Faults and their Correction. Scales and their Importance. Course of Study. Advice on Elementary Matters. Concerning Harmonics, Octaves, etc. Orchestral Playing. Some Experiences as a Soloist. With full page portraits of Carrodus, Molique, Paganini, Spohr, Sivori, De Beriot, Blagrove and Sainton, and a photo-reproduction of Dr. Spohr's testimonial to Carrodus.

"An interesting series of articles 'How to Study the Violin,' which Carrodus contributed to THE STRAD, and completed only a week or two before his death, have now been collected in cheap book form. The technical hints to violin students, which are practical, plainly worded, and from such a pen most valuable."—Daily News.

"But a few weeks before his sudden death the most distinguished of native violinists completed in THE STRAD a series of chats to students of the instrument associated with his name. These chats are now re-issued, with a sympathetic preface and instructive annotations. All who care to listen to what were virtually the last words of such a conscientious teacher will recognise the pains taken by Carrodus to render every detail as clear to the novice as to the advanced pupil. Pleasant gossip concerning provincial festivals at which Carrodus was for many years 'leader,' of the orchestra, ends a little volume worthy a place in musical libraries both for its practical value and as a memento of the life-work of an artist universally esteemed."—Daily Chronicle.

"It is surely, hardly necessary to direct the attention of students to the unique value of the hints and advice given by so experienced and accomplished a virtuoso as the late Mr. Carrodus, so that it only remains to state that the 'Recollections' make delightful reading, and that the book, as a whole, is as entertaining as it is instructive. The value of the brochure is enhanced by an excellent portrait of Mr. Carrodus, as well as of a number of other violin worthies, and the printing, paper, and get up generally are good as could possibly be."—Musical Answers.



"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. III.

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THE BOW Its History, Manufacture and Use BY HENRY SAINT-GEORGE. With Full Page Illustrations (exact size) by Photo Process.

MONS. EMILE SAURET writes—"I have read it with great interest, and think that it supplies a real want in giving musicians such an excellent description of all matters referring to this important instrument."

SIGNOR GUIDO PAPINI writes—"Thanks so much for your splendid and interesting book. You are quite successful and all the artists and amateurs are indebted to you for a so exact and correct 'Texte' on the subject."

ADOLF BRODSKY writes—"I am delighted with the book and find it very instructive, even for those who think to know everything about the bow. It is very original and at times very amusing. No violinist should miss the opportunity to buy it."

THE TIMES.—"A useful treatise on the Bow, in which the history, manufacture and use of the bow are discussed with considerable technical knowledge."

DAILY TELEGRAPH.—"To the student there is much of interest in the work, which has the advantage of being copiously illustrated."

DAILY NEWS.—"This book seems practically to exhaust its subject."



"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. IV.

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CELEBRATED VIOLINISTS: PAST AND PRESENT, Translated from the German of A. EHRLICH, And Edited with Notes and Additions by ROBIN H. LEGGE. WITH EIGHTY-NINE PORTRAITS.

PRESS NOTICES.

"Those who love their fiddles better than their fellows, and who treasure up every detail that can be found and recorded about their favourite and cherished players, will not fail to provide themselves with a copy of this book."—Musical Opinion.

"This book of 280 pages is a most interesting and valuable addition to the violinist's library. It contains 89 biographical sketches of well-known artists, ancient and modern, of all nations. This is not intended to be a perfect dictionary of violinists; the aim of the Editor of the present volume being merely to give a few more up-to-date details concerning some of the greatest of stringed instrument players, and we must concede that no name of the first importance has been omitted. Germany is represented by 21 names, Italy by 13, France by 10, England by 4, Bohemia by 8, Belgium by 7, and the fair sex by seven well-known ladies, such as Teresina Tua, Therese and Marie Milanollo, Lady Halle, Marie Soldat, Gabrielle Wietrowetz, and Arma Senkrah. Altogether this is most agreeable reading to the numerous army of violinists, both professionals and amateurs, and after careful examination we can find nothing but praise for this translation into English of a book well known on the Continent."—The Piano, Organ and Music Trades Journal.



"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. V.

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TECHNICS OF VIOLONCELLO PLAYING BY E. VAN DER STRAETEN. COPIOUSLY ILLUSTRATED.

Copy of Letter received by the Author from the great 'cellist, SIGNOR ALFRED PIATTI.

Cadenabbia, Lake of Como, March 9th, 1898.

DEAR SIR,—I received the book you kindly sent me on "The Technics of Violoncello Playing," which I found excellent, particularly for beginners, which naturally was your scope. With many thanks for kindly remembering an old ex-violoncello player.

Believe me, yours sincerely, ALFRED PIATTI.

Copy of Letter received by the Author from the eminent 'cellist, HERR DAVID POPPER.

Budapest, February 22nd, 1898.

DEAR SIR,—In sending me your book on "The Technics of Violoncello Playing" you have given me a real and true pleasure. I know of no work, tutors and studies not excepted, which presents so much valuable material, so much that is absolutely to the point, avoiding—I might say, on principle—all that is superfluous and dispensable. Every earnest thinking violoncello student will in future make your book his own and thereby receive hints which will further and complete the instructions of his master.

I congratulate you and ourselves most heartily on the new violoncello book. With kind regards, Yours most sincerely, DAVID POPPER.



"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. VI.

Crown 8vo., Cloth, 2/6, Post Free 2/9.

VIOLIN PLAYING BY JOHN DUNN

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTORY—Qualities indispensable to the ideal Violinist—Hints on the Choice of a Teacher—Some Tricks of pretending professors exposed.

ON THE CHOICE OF A VIOLIN AND BOW—Advice regarding general adjustment and repairs.

ON THE CHOICE OF STRINGS—Stringing the Instrument and keeping the Pegs in Order.

ON THE GENERAL POSTURE—The manner of holding the Violin and Bow as accepted by the leading artists of the day.

ON FINGERING GENERALLY—The various positions—Scales recommended—The Modern Orchestral "Principal" or (so-called) Leader.

ON GLIDING—Special Characteristics of some of the most Eminent Players.

DOUBLE STOPPING—The main difficulty in Double Stopping—How to gain independence of Finger.

BOWINGS—Smooth Bowings—Solid Staccato—Spiccato—Spring Bow—Mixed Bowings.

TONE PRODUCTION—Character of Tone—Rules and Conditions necessary to produce a good tone—Style and Expression.



"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. VII.

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Chats to 'Cello Students BY ARTHUR BROADLEY

"Musicians, devotees of the 'cello in particular, will welcome the latest volume of the 'Strad Library,' 'Chats to 'Cello Students,' by Arthur Broadley.... Mr. Broadley not only knows what he is talking about, but has practised what he says. From the choice of an instrument to finished delivery and orchestral playing, 'Chats to 'Cello Students' leaves nothing undiscussed. The treatment is simple and practical. The exhaustive chapter on 'bowing' should be an invaluable aid to students. In the last chapter of his book, 'On Delivery and Style,' Mr. Broadley has given a lucid expression to a subject which has sadly needed voicing."—The Tribune, Nuneaton.

"Is a brightly written little volume filled with practical information for those who seek to bring out the wealth of expression of which the violoncello is capable. The instruction is presented in homely, common-sense fashion, and there are upwards of fifty examples in music type to illustrate the author's meaning."—Lloyd's Weekly.

"Every kind of bowing and fingering, the portamento, harmonic effects, arpeggios and their evolution from various chords, are all ably treated, and the work concludes with a few remarks on orchestral playing which are of especial interest."—Musical News.

"As a writer on the technique of his instrument Mr. Broadley is known all over the world, perhaps his most successful work being a little book published by THE STRAD, 'Chats to 'Cello Students.'"—The Violinist.



"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. VIII.

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ANTONIO STRADIVARI BY HORACE PETHERICK Of the Music Jury, International Inventions Exhibition, South Kensington, 1885; International Exhibition, Edinburgh, 1890; Expert in Law Courts, 1891; Vice-President of the Cremona Society. ILLUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR.

"This is the history of the life-work of the great Italian stringed musical instrument maker.... There is a most interesting analysis of Stradivari's method of mechanical construction which again is illustrated by original drawings from the many Strads which it has been Mr. Petherick's privilege to examine. All lovers of the king of instruments will read this delightful little volume."—Reynolds.