Arthur (II) Betts

John Dilworth

BETTS, Arthur (II) Born 1775 Stamford, died 1847 London UK. Younger brother of John Betts, below. Sent from Stamford at the age of nine to receive a musical education in London. Having completed this, he joined his brother in the shop in Royal Exchange, taking over after John’s death in 1823, in partnership with his nephew Charles Vernon. The business was retitled ‘J.Betts & Co’. Shortly afterward Arthur made the famous purchase of a perfect 1704 Stradivari violin, still known as ‘the Betts’, which led to disputes within the company and the departure of Vernon. The shop became simply ‘A. Betts’. In 1838, the Royal Exchange was destroyed by fire, and the shop moved to 47 Threadneedle Street, before returning to 27 Royal Exchange after the building was restored in 1844. Under Arthur’s direction the shop made a great number of highly sophisticated copies of master instruments, with shaded and aged varnish of superb quality. Betts inaugurated the fashion for making copies of Guarneri del Gesù violins, until then regarded as second-rate by most experts. This followed Paganini’s concert tours in 1831, playing on his del Gesù ‘Cannone’ violin. Martin Fendt remained with the shop for his entire career, making instruments for the shop. Cheaper grade instruments were made by the Furber family, and bows were made by John Dodd and Thomas Tubbs. Arthur Betts, No. 2 North Piazza Royal Exchange. London, 1837 [BVMA]