William Voller

History

William Voller (1854-1933) was born in London, UK, and was known as a violist, painter, and violin maker. He was the eldest of the Voller Brothers and appears to have been the most active violin-making member of the family. Around 1881, he gained experience with F. Chanot. William Voller worked for G. Hart (II) until 1899, producing faithful copies of Cremonese instruments that passed through the shop, all of which were labeled 'Hart & Son'. From approximately 1889, he also actively supplied generic copies of Italian work to a dealer named George Duncan. His work extended to producing instruments for the firms of Hamma in Stuttgart and Wurlitzer in New York. A notable incident involved the 'Balfour Strad', which was revealed to be the recent handiwork of the Voller Brothers only after it had been authenticated by various London and Paris experts and changed hands at auction in 1901 as a genuine Stradivari. William Voller's artistic talents also included several known watercolour paintings of the subjects of their copies, as well as a bronze sculpture of Alfredo Piatti with his cello.

Craft

• Workmanship: The work of the Voller Brothers, including William, was highly inconsistent, ranging from very commercial-looking pastiches of minor Italian makers to almost perfect and convincing imitations of master instruments by Stradivari, Guarneri, Amati, and Guadagnini.
• Materials: They sometimes made use of genuine parts from old instruments. Some of their more persuasive imitations can be distinguished by the use of ebony for the purfling, though other materials were also employed, such as beech for their very convincing Gagliano copies.
• Labeling: Most instruments featured facsimile labels, which were printed by the Vollers themselves. An example of such a label is: 'Replica of the 'Leduc' Joseph / Guarnerius del Gesù of 1743 / William & / Charles Voller London 1900 / The Rudolph Wurlitzer Co. New York Voller Fratelli, Londra 189..'

Influence

• Training: William Voller gained some experience with F. Chanot around 1881.
• Employment: He worked for G. Hart (II) up to 1899, where he made copies of Cremonese instruments.

Legacy

• Notoriety: The 'Balfour Strad' incident in 1901, where a Voller creation was authenticated as a genuine Stradivari by experts, stands as a notorious example of their skill in imitation.
• Signatures: Some examples of their instruments are signed internally with 'William & Charles Voller / London'.

Further Information

• Life Dates: William Voller was born in 1854 and died in 1933 in London, UK.
• Family Role: He was the eldest of the Voller Brothers.
• Collaborations: He supplied instruments to George Duncan from approximately 1889 and produced instruments for the firms of Hamma in Stuttgart and Wurlitzer in New York.
• Artistic Pursuits: Beyond violin making, he was also a painter and sculptor, with known watercolour paintings and a bronze sculpture of Alfredo Piatti.

Summary

William Voller (1854-1933) was a prominent English violin maker, violist, and painter, recognized as the eldest and most active of the Voller Brothers. He gained early experience with F. Chanot and worked for G. Hart (II), producing highly skilled copies of Cremonese instruments. Voller also supplied instruments to dealers like George Duncan and firms such as Hamma and Wurlitzer. His work was characterized by its inconsistency, ranging from commercial pastiches to remarkably convincing imitations of master instruments, famously exemplified by the 'Balfour Strad' incident where a Voller creation was mistaken for a genuine Stradivari.