1744 de Beriot

[Omobono]

Now here are a couple of particular sound-holes worth a look.

(featured in the July Strad)

Suffered a little with time but bold from the outset too.

[MANFIO]

These f holes are very similar to those of the 1745 Leduc, also by del Gesù, but he had died a year before.

 

Both violins probably have the hands of del Gesù's wife, Katarina Guarneri.

[Philip Perret]

These f holes are very similar to those of the 1745 Leduc, also by del Gesù, but he had died a year before.

 

Both violins probably have the hands of del Gesù's wife, Katarina Guarneri.

 

The "Leduc"?  I'd say more so like the "Ole Bull".

[MANFIO]

Hi Philip, you are correct, the Ole Bull, sorry.

[not telling]

How do you know he died in 1744 before some of those last instruments were completed? 

[Will L]

The first time I saw these F holes I laughed for 5 minutes.  It was like a religious experience.  I love them.

[MANFIO]

Hi not telling, I will quote Roger Hargrave, Biddulph book on DG:

 

"Most of the recent speculation about Katarina has
centred around the idea that she helped her husband
in his late period or that she completed a few left
over bits and pieces. This theory is supported by the
1745 label in the 'Leduc' violin, dated posthumously,
'del Gesu' having died on 17 October 1744."

[not telling]

Thanks Luis. I forgot that Roger found a record of dG's death. Labels can be inaccurate but probably not his last ones. It really does make sense that someone else was doing the ffs by the time they got that wild. I just forgot there was a record proving his date of death.

[actonern]

No dog in this "fight" but didn't Chris Reuning post not too long ago that only the hand of Del Gesu is to be found on all instruments flying under that label?

[Bruce Carlson]

Thanks Luis. I forgot that Roger found a record of dG's death. Labels can be inaccurate but probably not his last ones. It really does make sense that someone else was doing the ffs by the time they got that wild. I just forgot there was a record proving his date of death.

Hi not telling,

 

Roger didn't find it. This was already published in 1931 in the monumental book "The Violin Makers of the Guarneri Family" by the firm of W.E. Hill & Sons, London.

 

Bruce

[Omobono]

Mind you, the Spalding & the Doyen are also pretty jaw-dropping as well..

[Will L]

It will be interesting if anyone ever comes up with a conclusive explanation for what is so totally bizarre compared to any other maker I can think of.  I mean, some people assume sickness, but still dG's hand; others think these F-holes are just too much like another hand.

 

And I wonder that any maker would just turn over the work to just anyone;  I'd expect most of us, if we could no longer work, would turn over our stuff to someone who had the "chops" to copy us quite closely.  If dG DID assign the Fs, he certainly didn't send for Bergonzi.  

[not telling]

Indeed, some kind of written record of the history/sales of all of these late works would be nice. 

 

His work always seemed kind of rushed anyway--maybe Katarina needed the money so she just did what she could with the stockpile of parts and pieces that were around since who knows when until someone figured out that these weren't already finished instruments sitting around, and the jig was up.  Seems a definitely plausible theory. The Spaulding...haha, it's great, damn near whimsical. Is that 1744 too?

 

Lead poisoning/brain worms/blindness also makes sense. 

[Addie]

That's Spalding, not Spaulding, right?  As in Albert Spalding? 

[~ Ben Conover]

On 6/30/2015 at 7:01 PM, Addie said:

That's Spalding, not Spaulding, right?  As in Albert Spalding? 

Yes Addie...Spalding was a great player :

 

[Rue]

I hope he and Addie are chatting it up, up in the clouds...

[nathan slobodkin]

On 6/30/2015 at 12:21 PM, Will L said:

It will be interesting if anyone ever comes up with a conclusive explanation for what is so totally bizarre compared to any other maker I can think of.  I mean, some people assume sickness, but still dG's hand; others think these F-holes are just too much like another hand.

 

And I wonder that any maker would just turn over the work to just anyone;  I'd expect most of us, if we could no longer work, would turn over our stuff to someone who had the "chops" to copy us quite closely.  If dG DID assign the Fs, he certainly didn't send for Bergonzi.  

Del Gesu was far more interested in making a living than any consideration of how his work would be viewed after his death. I think like any business man he would have been concerned that his reputation remain good enough not to affect future business and beyond that didn't care

[Three13]

I'm not really convinced that these over-the-top ffs are a sign of degeneration - it's always seemed to me that he saw this Viola and got excited: