John Dilworth
HART, John Thomas Born 1805, died 1874 London UK. Apprenticed to Samuel Gilkes from 1820. Established independently in Vauxhall Bridge Road from c.1836, and at 14 Princes Street from 1838. Business recorded as ‘Violin & Gun Wharehouse’ in 1840. Small output. Known chiefly as an expert and connoisseur, and founder of the firm Hart & Son which persisted until 1939. John Hart / Maker / 14 Princes Street, Leicester Square, / London, anno 18..
George Hart
He was articled to Samuel Gilkes in May, 1820, of whom he learned the mechanical branch of his profession. He afterwards centred his attention upon the peculiar characteristics of the Cremonese and Italian Violin-makers generally, and in a comparatively brief space of time obtained an extensive acquaintance in that direction. His unerring eye and powerful memory of instruments once brought under his notice secured for him the highest position among the connoisseurs of his time. Commencing business at a period when the desire to possess instruments by the famous Italian makers was becoming general among amateurs, and being peculiarly fortunate in securing an early reputation as a judge of them, he became the channel through which the greater part of the rare Italian works passed into England, and it has frequently been said that there are very few distinguished instruments in Europe with which he was unacquainted. Among the remarkable collections that he brought together may be mentioned that of the late Mr. James Goding, the remnant of which was dispersed by Messrs. Christie and Manson in 1857; the small but exquisite collection of Mr. Charles Plowden, consisting of four Violins of Stradivari and four of Guarneri, with other instruments of less merit, the whole of which again passed into Mr. Hart’s possession upon the death of their owner; and, lastly, a large portion of the well-known collection of the late Mr. Joseph Gillott, sold by Christie and Manson shortly after the famous sale of pictures belonging to the same collector.
William Meredith Morris
He was born on Dec. 17, 1805, and died Jan. 1, 1874. He became a pupil of Samuel Gilkes in 1820. He did not make many instruments, but attained great reputation as a repairer and connoisseur. He brought together many remarkable collections of Italian instruments, such as the Goding, the Plowden, and a large part of the Gillot, &c. I have never seen an instrument of his make, and cannot say whether he followed the lines of his master, or more closely those of Amati or Stradivari. Label : —
JOHN HART, MAKER, 14 PRINCES STREET, LEICESTER SQUARE, LONDON, 18-
Cecie Stainer
b. Dec. 17, 1805, London; d. Jan. 1, 1874. In May, 1820 he became a pupil of Samuel Gilkes.
He made few new instruments, but had a great reputation for his experience and skill in repairing old Italian instruments.
Willibald Leo Lütgendorff
Er trat im Mai 1820 in die Lehre bei Samuel Gilkes und entwickelte sich
bald zu einem tüchtigen Meister, so dass er schon 1825 seine eigene Werkstatt
eröffnen konnte. Er hat zwar nicht viele neue Geigen gebaut, diese aber dürfen
als gute Amaticopien gelten. Bedeutender war er jedoch als Kenner italienischer
Geigen und als trefflicher Reparateur. Mit Tarisio stand er in lebhafter Geschäftsverbindung.
