Edmund Aireton

History

Edmund Aireton (1720-1807) was born circa 1720 and died in 1807 in London, UK, at the advanced age of 80, according to George Hart. He worked in Piccadilly and, from 1805, in Hog Lane, which is present-day Crown Street, Soho. He was initially employed by Peter Wamsley from approximately 1735. His signature or label appeared in instruments labeled and sold by several London makers and dealers, including Peter Wamsley, Norris & Barnes, and John Johnson.

Craft

• Models: Edmund Aireton copied Stainer and Amati models. His best instruments were on the Amati model. He also made many violins on the Stainer model and a few, of inferior make, on the Stradivari model. William Meredith Morris notes that this suggests the Stradivari model was not highly appreciated in England at the time and not considered worthy of the best effort.
• Varnish: Sources contain conflicting information regarding his varnish. John Dilworth describes it as rather poor yellow. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff mentions his yellow-brown varnish as dull, while William Meredith Morris states it was a spirit varnish of a lustreless yellow. George Hart describes it as a varnish of fair quality with a yellow color.
• Workmanship: His craftsmanship is described as excellent by John Dilworth, similar to Peter Wamsley's pupil Thomas Smith. William Meredith Morris also states that the workmanship is good.
• Instruments: An excellent five-string cello of small size is labeled and dated 1776.
• Tone: Willibald Leo Lütgendorff describes the tone as unimportant. However, William Meredith Morris states the tone was of a fair quality.

Influence

• Mentorship: Edmund Aireton is considered a pupil of Peter Wamsley.
• Collaborations: He worked extensively for Norris & Barnes, which resulted in relatively few violins appearing with his own label.
• Family Connections: It has been surmised that a workman of the same name, who was working with Peter Wamsley in 1735, was his father. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff also notes that he was a relative of the church composer Edmund Ayreton (1734-1808), who served as assistant organist at Westminster Abbey under Händel.

Legacy

• Exhibitions: A violin with his label from 1755 was exhibited in South Kensington in 1872.

Further Information

• Addresses: He worked in Piccadilly and later in Hog Lane (present-day Crown Street, Soho) from 1805.
• Labels: An example of his label reads: "Made by / Edmund Aireton / London, 1755."

Summary

Edmund Aireton (1720-1807) was a London-based luthier known for his excellent craftsmanship, particularly in copying Amati and Stainer models. Initially employed by Peter Wamsley from approximately 1735, he later worked independently in Piccadilly and Hog Lane (present-day Crown Street, Soho). While sources offer varying descriptions of his varnish, his instruments, including a notable five-string cello from 1776, are recognized for their good workmanship and fair tone. He also produced instruments for other dealers like Norris & Barnes, which means relatively few instruments bear his own label.