Simon Andrew Forster

John Dilworth

FORSTER, Simon Andrew Born 1801, died 1870 London UK. Son of William Forster (III), below. Pupil of his father and of Samuel Gilkes. Also studied music and was a chorister at Westminster Abbey 1811-1817. Established in Frith Street, Soho; later in Macclesfield Street, Soho. Co-author with S. A. Sandys The History of the Violin (1864) wherein much of the detail of the Forster family is contained. Instruments are dated from 1828 to 1840. Stainer model with softened arching curves. Made instruments in two classes. The better class is very highly finished and covered with a good orange-amber varnish. Cheaper instruments made with inferior spirit varnish; an unsuccessful attempt to combat the large numbers of instruments of similar sort then being imported from Germany. Assisted by George Pearce 1834-1844. Violin, viola, and cello awarded prizes at the 1851 Great Exhibition, London. Viola no.7 (1843) is housed in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Also made fine double basses. Numbered and inscribed at the endpin. S. A. Forster / Violin, Tenor, and Violoncello maker / No.. London. [BVMA]

George Hart

Brother of William, mentioned above. He learned his business from his father and Samuel Gilkes, who worked for William Forster. He made several instruments between the years 1828 and 1840, which are of average merit.

William Meredith Morris

He was the son of William Forster (1764-1824), born May 13, 1801, died Feb. 2, 1870. He worked at Frith Street, and also at Macclesfield Street, Soho. He is more famous as the collaborator with William Sandys of “The History of the Violin” (London, 1864), than as a violin-maker. All his work that I have seen reflects little or no credit upon him. He was a pupil of his father, of his brother, and of Samuel Gilkes. He worked sometimes on the Stradivari model, some- times on the Stainer, but always arched his instruments in a grotesque manner. I am not sure that he did not sometimes bake his wood, as the tone of some of them is of a wretched character. Label : —

S. A, FORSTER, VIOLIN, TENOR, AND VIOLONCELLO MAKER, NO.- LONDON

Cecie Stainer

Son of William Forster (1764-1824), b. May 13, 1801, London; d. Feb. 2, 1870. He carried on the business first at Frith Street, then at Macclesfield Street, Soho. He learnt his trade under his father, Samuel Gilkes (a workman in his father’s employ), and his brother William. 1828-40, he made several instruments, very much arched, of no great merit, using the label: ” S. A. Foster, violin, tenor, and violoncello maker. No. , London.” He used spirit varnish for his second-class instruments, and only inscribed them “Foster, No. ,” at the tailpin.
His name is well known as joint-author, with William Sandys, of “The History of the Violin,” published in London, 1864.

Willibald Leo Lütgendorff

Sohn von William III. F. Erst Schüler seines Vaters und dann von Samuel
Gilkes, der als Gehilfe bei seinem Vater arbeitete. Er kam seinem Vater und
Grossvater zwar nicht gleich, war aber ein feiner Kenner und ist namentlich
bekannt durch seine Mitarbeiterschaft an dem Buche »The history of the Violin
by Sandys and S. A. Forster« (1864).