Robert Barnes

History

Robert Barnes (d. 1789) was apprenticed with John Norris to Thomas Smith in Piccadilly. He subsequently entered into a partnership with John Norris, which operated from Coventry Street between 1765 and 1782, before Barnes moved to Marylebone High Street. According to Willibald Leo Lütgendorff, it appears Barnes may have withdrawn from the business early. He is said to have purchased a farm in Hayes, though Sandys and Forster's searches of church records there for his death were unsuccessful.

Craft

• Quality: Instruments produced by Robert Barnes and his partner John Norris were generally of decent trade quality, with John Dilworth noting them as "nothing exceptional".
• Attribution: Instruments bearing the Norris and Barnes label were likely made by others. Cecie Stainer and Willibald Leo Lütgendorff specifically mention a violoncello stamped with their name that was probably made by E. Aireton.
• Label: A label cited by William Meredith Morris reads: "MADE BY NORRIS AND BARNES, VIOLIN, VIOLONCELLO, AND BOW/ MAKERS TO THEIR MAJESTIES, COVENTRY STREET, LONDON".

Influence

• Teacher: Robert Barnes was a pupil of Thomas Smith, who operated at the "Harp and Hautboy" in Piccadilly.
• Fellow Apprentice: He was a fellow apprentice of John Norris at Thomas Smith's workshop.

Further Information

• Workshop Locations: Robert Barnes worked in Windmill Street, Coventry Street, and Marylebone High Street in London.
• Partnership Dates: His partnership with John Norris in Coventry Street spanned from 1765 to 1782.

Summary

Robert Barnes was an 18th-century English violin maker who apprenticed under Thomas Smith in Piccadilly. He later formed a partnership with fellow apprentice John Norris, operating from Coventry Street between 1765 and 1782, and subsequently from Marylebone High Street. Instruments bearing the Norris and Barnes label were often of decent trade quality, though many were likely crafted by other makers, such as E. Aireton.