Oldest American Violins? Photos of Maine Violin 1885

[BassClef]

I was at the Metropolitan Museum of Art today with my little daughter and a friend to check out the historical guitar exhibit and happened across a very attractive violin from 1885 by P. H. Holmes - Gardiner, Maine. I am including some photos that I took of the instrument below. This got me wondering about what the oldest examples of American violins are and what the oldest examples of American violins are that were entirely handmade, not using imported or factory made parts, or parts purchased from other makers/dealers. Anyone know? How about Maine's violin making history, how far back does it go?

 

The back of this violin is quite attractive, I like the carving details. I also noticed a cross hidden a little at the top of the back. Please don't tell me that this was another Mark/Schoen import that was embellished by an American.

 

http://s1000.photobucket.com/user/whatyoulookinatbish/library/Violin%20-%20P%20H%20Holmes%20Gardiner%20Maine%201885?sort=2&page=1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jeffrey Holmes]

Here's a start:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Prescott

 

http://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200154417

[Will L]

According to the following, 1759:

 

http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2006/06-062.html

[BassClef]

Looks familiar, I believe the same instrument. Purchased from musurgia for the Met Museum?

 

http://www.musurgia.com/products.asp?ProductID=4245&CartID=595232152014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BassClef]

Abraham Prescott - Built first double bass in 1819

Here's a start:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Prescott

 

http://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200154417

[BassClef]

John Antes, 1759, Bethlehem
possibly the first violin made in Colonial America

John Antes (1740-1811) was born in Pennsylvania, and was raised in Moravian schools. He showed early promise as a musician, and contracted to make a set of instruments for Lititz, Pennsylvania. The only known Antes instruments which survive, however, are this violin made in 1759, and a viola made in 1764 (now in the collection of the Litiz Moravian Archives). A cello which he made in 1764 is thought to be in the Moravian Church collection in Gnadenhutten, Ohio.

http://bdhp.moravian.edu/music/instruments/violin.html

 

 

 

 

 

According to the following, 1759:

 

http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2006/06-062.html

Thanks for this info!

[nathan slobodkin]

Hey guys I think THAT might be art

[BassClef]

Hey guys I think THAT might be art

Yes, It's not called the Metropolitan Museum of Craft for a reason! (I've got to catch up on that massive craft/art thread)

[palousian]

When David Bromberg bought my 1840 C. F. Hartmann violin last year, he told me that it was the oldest professionally-made violin from America that he had seen.  The label says "Nazareth, PA", but Hartmann was trained in Markneukirchen and was brought to America by C. F. Martin to help him set up his guitar-building operation.  Hartmann was born in 1820, so he was a young guy when he built this (he had signed it underneath the top, with some odd symbols and the date 1820).  He must have built it right after he got here.  It has an odd shape, and it had a transitional neck when I bought it, but the neck and area around the pegbox was severely worn so it had to be grafted.  Instead of a one-piece neck or mortising the entire neck into the block, it had a tenon in the center of the neck that went into the block, which I recall Jacob Saunders saying was a transitional phase between the older one-piece style and the later mortised neck.  Anyway, here are some images of it.

 

Paul

 

[vathek]

Aren't the angled cross and doves symbols of mourning?

[Jeffrey Forbes]

Thanks for posting the photos of the Holmes, Antes, and Hartmann violins.  I hadn't seen any of those before.

 

In the VSA Journal (vol. VI, No. 1, p. 33-42), there was an article by Frederick R. Selch entitled Early American Violins and Their Makers.  In it, he says "The earliest identified maker was Geoffrey Stafford, who was brought here as a convict in 1691 and lived as a freebooter and confidante of the notorious Governor Fletcher. Although a public drunkard, murderer, and robber (for which he was finally hung), there seems to be no doubt that his regular employment was as a lute and violin maker, and there are specific mentions of his having made violins in this country."   If that is true, then he would have been an approximate contemporary of Stradivari.

 

Selch goes on to say "The next maker known by name was James Juhan (variously selled Juan or Joan), who flourished in this country between 1768 and 1776.  He was the father of the important Philadelphia violinist and impresario."

 

The article also mentions several New England makers from the early 1800s, and has photos of some of their violins (and closeups of the f-holes).  I'd be happy to mail you a copy of the full article if you want to contact me off line.

 

Although it doesn't really discuss the earliest American makers, another article that might be of interest is On Native Ground: David Bromberg's Passion for American Lutherie, by Mary VanClay, Strings (Magazine), Sept-Oct 1993, p. 30-33.  It seems that David Bromberg likely has the largest collection and most knowledge of early American fiddles.

[Roger Hargrave]

Yes, It's not called the Metropolitan Museum of Craft for a reason! (I've got to catch up on that massive craft/art thread)

 

Only if you wan't to waste time enough to make a violin. Although it was fun for a while.

[Brad Dorsey]

A related discussion is  "Early Violin Making in New England" by Darcy Kuronen, curator of musical instruments at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, published in the Journal of the American Musical Instrument Society, Volume XXVII, 2002.  Stafford and Juhan are mentioned.  There are pictures and discussions of instruments by Simeon Snow, Lexington, Mass., 1779; Benjamin Crehore, Dorchester and Milton, Mass., 1788; George Catlin, Hartford, Conn., 1806; Abraham Prescott, Deerfield and Concord, N. H., 1827; William Darracott, Jr., Milford, N. H., 1828; Nehemiah White, Williamsburg, Mass., 1830s; Moses Tewksbury, Chester, N. H., 1853; John Gee Pickering, Greenland, N. H., 1843; Samuel Brooks, Ashburnham, Mass., 1841; Peter Slocum, Newport, R. I., 1834; Thomas Dudley Paine, Woonsocket, R. I., 1853; Ira Johnson White, Boston, Mass., 1835 & 1860;  Asa Warren White, Boston, Mass., 1876; and Isiah H. Arey, Boscawen, N. H., 1856.

[Rue]

vathek:  I think you're right...maybe a memorial violin?

[nedlloyd]

I just bought a violin at a tag sale............  with a paper label that says "Manufactured by Peter M Slocum Newport RI" with a clear hand inked date of "1833" and also the S/N.    It also happens to look just like the one on in the MFA (Boston) collection on their web site. 

    Unfortunately it is in poor condition.  I am looking to find out if is something that I need to give special attention to, and decide on a path for.

[nedlloyd]

It is looking as though this tag sale find is legit.  In the category of New England violins it appears there may be only five or so older known examples.  ..........  A great musical instrument, probably not.  An interesting piece of New England history, possibly.

 

I would attach photos if I could figure out how (may just be the firewall here).

[Ben Hebbert]

Here's the Robert Horne viola made in New York in 1757... As far as I know, the earliest surviving American made instrument (although earlier makers are known).

Shame on the Met - I went to huge trouble to flog it to them. Does the change of staff mean they've forgotten to put it on display??? (Or doesn't it count because it's a viola?)

[Ben Hebbert]

Incidentally, Christopher Wise who made instruments for Samuel Pepys In London moved to Barbados to become a sugar plantation owner in the 1660s. One of several musicians who went to Barbados was Benjamin Hely, and his 1699 probate inventory lists several guitars damaged on his return from Barbados - the supposition that Wise may have been building instruments whilst he was out there isn't silly. Given that the status of Barbados amongst the British colonies was essentially the same as America at that point in time, he may have good claim as an earlier documented maker working in the British Americas .

[SETFREE]

On 6/29/2015 at 3:44 PM, nedlloyd said:

I just bought a violin at a tag sale............  with a paper label that says "Manufactured by Peter M Slocum Newport RI" with a clear hand inked date of "1833" and also the S/N.    It also happens to look just like the one on in the MFA (Boston) collection on their web site. 

    Unfortunately it is in poor condition.  I am looking to find out if is something that I need to give special attention to, and decide on a path for.

I am related to a David Slocumb of NY, who also made violins and am wondering if he was related to Peter Slocumb.  David S died in 1915.  He made an estimated 10 violins.  I am looking to find one for posterity, because his granddaughter, my grandmother, played violin for the Philharmonic symphony, and my housebound daughter also plays violin and writes music.  I would love to find a family keepsake for her, since she is the one who did the genealogy that led us to find this out in the first place.  I am guessing that Davids violins may be similar in shape and style to that of Peters.  If anyone has any information that can help me in my pursuit of finding a family heirloom, I would be forever grateful.