Jacob Fendt

Highest auction price achieved
£ 29300.00

By George Hart

Third son of Bernard Fendt. The best maker among the sons of Bernard. His instruments are beautifully finished, and free from the stereotyped character belonging to those of his brother Bernard. As specimens of the imitator's art they are unequalled. One cannot but regret that such a consummate workman should have been obliged to waste his energies in making new work resemble that of a hundred years before. The patronage that he obtained was not of much value, but had he brought his work into the market in its natural condition he would not have lived by his trade. He was, therefore, compelled to foster that which he no doubt felt to be degrading. The copies of Stradivari by Jacob Fendt are among his best efforts. The work is well done; the discoloration of the wood cleverly managed, the effects of wear counterfeited with greater skill than has ever been done before or since, and finally, an amount of style is thrown into the work which transcends the ingenuity of any other copyist. Had he been allowed to copy the form of the old masters, as Lupot did, without imitating the actual wear of the instrument, we should have had a valuable addition to our present stock of instruments of the Panormo class.

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Price History

Type Title Sold Price
Violin 35.5 cm Thu 1st September 11 £ 19200.00
Violin 35.5 cm London, 1840 c. after "Guarneri" [Lit: The Cooper Collection] Sat 1st March 08 £ 29300.00
Violin 1830 c. Mon 1st November 93 £ 2875.00
Violin 1830-40 Wed 1st July 92 £ 14300.00
Cello 1830 c. Mon 1st April 91 £ 12100.00
Violin 1830 c. Thu 1st June 89 £ 7700.00
Viola 41.0 cm 1820-50 Tue 1st March 88 £ 9900.00
Violin 1840 c. Sat 1st March 86 £ 4320.00

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