John Furber

History

John Furber (Born 1780, died after 1857) was the third son of Matthew Furber, sen., and a pupil of his father and John Betts, according to William Meredith Morris and Cecie Stainer. John Dilworth notes that he worked in Turnmill Street in 1810 and at 10 St John's Row from 1813. In 1840 he relocated to 26 Wellington Street. Cecie Stainer adds that in 1841, he was living in Cow Cross, Smithfield. Furber was highly esteemed as a repairer and worked for J. E. Betts at the Royal Exchange, producing many instruments that bore Betts' label.

Craft

• Significance: Willibald Leo Lütgendorff considered John Furber the most significant member of his family, building numerous good violins.
• Models: He used the Amati model as a prototype and was a copyist of Stradivari and Amati, as detailed by John Dilworth. William Meredith Morris noted that he made a large number of instruments on the grand Amati pattern and some copies of the "Betts" Stradivari.
• Workmanship: William Meredith Morris described his work as "excellent in every respect," noting a specific copy with a "broad 'flame'" wood, "golden red, mellow, tender" varnish, and a "clear and penetrating" tone. However, the scroll was considered "somewhat stiff and over masculine."
• Characteristics: His Amati copies were often modified, sometimes "deeply grooved and highly arched," but consistently produced a "clear and penetrating" tone.
• Branding: Some examples are branded "Furber" below the back button, according to John Dilworth.

Influence

• Mentorship: John Furber was a pupil of his father, Matthew Furber, sen and John Betts, as stated by William Meredith Morris.

Legacy

• Market Value: William Meredith Morris observed that John Furber's best violins realized as much as £20 at the time of his writing and predicted they would sell for a higher figure in the future.

Further Information

• Addresses: John Dilworth notes his addresses included Turnmill Street in 1810, 10 St John's Row from 1813, and 26 Wellington Street in 1840. Cecie Stainer adds that he was living in Cow Cross, Smithfield, in 1841.
• Labels: His labels include "JOHN FURBER, MAKER, 13 ST. JOHN'S ROW, TOP OF BRICK LANE, OLD ST., SAINT LUKE, 1839" as cited by William Meredith Morris. Other labels mentioned by John Dilworth include "John Furber. Maker / 13 St.John's Row, top of Brick Lane / Old Saint Luke / 1813" and "John Furber, Maker / 77 Turnmill Street / Clerkenwell / 1810."

Summary

John Furber (Born 1780, died after 1857) was a significant English violin maker, the third son and pupil of Matthew Furber, sen., and also a pupil of John Betts. He worked in various London locations, including Turnmill Street and St John's Row, and was highly regarded as a repairer. Furber was known for producing numerous high-quality violins, often following the Amati model and creating copies of Stradivari instruments, many of which were sold under the Betts label.