William (I) Forster

History

William (I) Forster (circa 1713-1801) was born around 1713 and died on March 4, 1801, in Brampton, Cumbria, UK. He was the son of John Forster and, like his father, primarily worked as a spinning-wheel maker, also referred to as a Spinnraddrechsler by Willibald Leo Lütgendorff. He occupied his spare time making and repairing violins and other musical instruments, earning his living as a musician, or Spielmann, according to Lütgendorff. His work showed a considerable improvement over that of his father, as noted by Cecie Stainer and William Meredith Morris. George Hart states that his labors, though unpretending in violin making, served to impart a taste for the art to his son, William, who became the best maker in the family. His labels read: "William Forster / Violin Maker / in Brampton."

Craft

• Workmanship: John Dilworth describes his instruments as being of a "fairly crude Stainer model." William Meredith Morris notes that his workmanship was "a little better than his father's." Willibald Leo Lütgendorff states his violins were "roh gearbeitet" (roughly worked), and Cecie Stainer adds that his work was "not highly finished."
• Construction: Instruments were made on the "old method" without a separate top block, with the upper ribs set into the side of the extended neck root, according to John Dilworth.
• Purfling: His instruments were unpurfled, as stated by William Meredith Morris and Cecie Stainer. John Dilworth, however, mentions "painted purfling."
• Varnish: He used a "thin textured dull iron-oxide red varnish" (Dilworth) or "spirit varnish" (Morris, Stainer), which Lütgendorff describes as "schlechten Spirituslack" (poor spirit varnish).
• Tone: Sources contain conflicting information regarding the tone of his instruments. William Meredith Morris states the tone was "about the same" as his father's, while Willibald Leo Lütgendorff notes they "klingen aber meist gut" (usually sound good). Cecie Stainer describes the tone as "fairly good."

Influence

• Family Tradition: He was the son of John Forster, who also made and repaired fiddles, continuing a family tradition of instrument making.
• Mentorship: His own efforts in violin making fostered an interest in the craft in his son, William, who would later become the most renowned maker in the Forster family, as documented by George Hart.

Legacy

• Family Legacy: The Forster family, including William (I), played a significant role in the history of violins in England, commanding attention from both artists and amateurs, a level of recognition perhaps unequalled in the country, according to George Hart.
• Successor: His son, William Forster, became the most celebrated maker of the family, building upon the foundation laid by his father.

Further Information

• Primary Occupation: William (I) Forster's main trade was that of a spinning-wheel maker.
• Location: He resided and worked in Brampton, Cumberland (now Cumbria), UK.
• Labels: His instruments bore labels stating: "William Forster / Violin Maker / in Brampton."

Summary

William (I) Forster (circa 1713-1801) was an English luthier and spinning-wheel maker from Brampton, Cumbria. The son of John Forster, he pursued violin making as an amateur, improving upon his father's work. His instruments, often described as crude but with a fairly good tone, were typically unpurfled or featured painted purfling, and were finished with spirit varnish. He is recognized for passing on his passion for instrument making to his son, William, who would become the most prominent maker in the distinguished Forster family.