George Hatton Buckman

History

George Hatton Buckman (1845-1920) was born on October 23, 1845, in Snargate Street, Dover, Kent, UK, and died in 1920 in Dover. He received his education at a private school in his native town, known as the “Dover Collegium,” which was under the tutorship of Herr Hawkerkamp. Buckman was a violinist from his youth and became a self-taught instrument maker from 1880. He worked en amateur at Kearsney, making instruments at his home, ‘Hazlemere’ in Kearsney, near Dover. According to John Dilworth, some of his instruments were finished after his death by his friend Alfred Dixon. Buckman was highly regarded in his own time. He suffered from nerve-deafness, which caused him to lose perception of melody during recurring attacks.

Craft

• Output: George Hatton Buckman made approximately 50 violins, in addition to a few violas and cellos.
• Models: He crafted instruments based on Stradivari and Guarneri models. His Guarneri copies were often made after a fine Joseph Guarneri instrument owned by C. M. Gann, Esq., of Canterbury.
• Dimensions: His Stradivari copies typically featured rather full dimensions, with some being 14 1/4 inches long. The greatest width across the upper bouts was 6 5/8 inches, and across the lower bouts, it was 8 3/8 inches full. The height of the sides in some specimens was 1 1/4 inches, diminishing to 1 3/16 inches, though in the majority, it was maintained at 1 1/4 inches throughout.
• Acoustic Features: The C openings on his instruments measured 3 inches from corner to corner, and the sound-holes were 2 1/2 inches from wing-angle to wing-angle.
• Style and Imitation: Buckman’s imitation was not servile; it produced salient points while bearing the impress of originality. In his Joseph Guarneri copies, the sound-holes exhibited the Gothic quaintness of the master, gently toned down by a graceful sweep of the outer line. Similarly, his scroll copies of Joseph Guarneri instruments possessed a “bull-dog” face, but with less of the usual ferocity.
• Construction: Several of his instruments were made with a slab back. In some instances, the archings were flatter than usual due to a thin wedge of wood, but the “correct” cubic capacity was maintained, resulting in a large and brilliant tone. In nearly all instruments with a slab back, the curl of the maple ran at a forty-five-degree angle to the longitudinal axis, creating a visually appealing effect.
• Materials and Varnish: His violins are noted for showing good, old wood and careful workmanship. According to Willibald Leo Lütgendorff, they were varnished with “Whitelaw’s Cremona Bernstein-Öllack” in various colors.

Influence

• Technique: George Hatton Buckman learned his instrument-making technique from Heron-Allen.
• Mentorship: He received help and encouragement from Chanot.

Further Information

• Workshop Location: Buckman made instruments at his home, ‘Hazlemere’ in Kearsney, near Dover.
• Label Example: A facsimile label reads: “GEO. H. BUCKMAN, DOVER, 1899.”

Summary

George Hatton Buckman (1845-1920) was a self-taught English violinist and luthier from Dover, Kent, who began making instruments in 1880. Educated at the “Dover Collegium,” he learned his technique from Heron-Allen and received encouragement from Chanot. Working from his home, ‘Hazlemere,’ he produced approximately 50 violins, along with some violas and cellos, primarily on Stradivari and Guarneri models. His instruments are recognized for their careful workmanship, use of good, old wood, and distinctive varnish. Buckman’s copies were praised for their originality, capturing the essence of classical models while incorporating his unique artistic interpretation, particularly in the sound-holes and scrolls. Some of his instruments featured slab backs, often with maple curl set at a forty-five-degree angle, and were noted for their large and brilliant tone. He was highly regarded during his lifetime, and some of his instruments were completed by his friend Alfred Dixon after his death.