Henry Handley

HANDLEY, Henry Born 1839, d. after 1927 Worcester UK. Amateur violinist and acquaintance of Sir Edward Elgar. Self-taught maker, credited with 106 violins, six violas, and two cellos. Workshop in College Street. Classical and personal models, using commercial Whitelaw oil varnish; amber colour. Skilful repairer. Henry Handley Fiddle Restorer and Maker / Worcester / No. 101 Neath the shadow of Worcester’s Cathedral Town, I worked on this fiddle full many an hour. In my 80th year I fashioned the whole. It now needs a player to bring out the Soul.

He was born in 1839. He began to make professionally in 1886, and up to the present he has made about eighty violins, violas, and violoncellos. He follows the model of a Guarnerius violin of the date of 17 15, and the workmanship is good and careful all over. The wood is carefully selected, and the varnish is Whitelaw’s ” Amati ” colour. The tone has none of the Joseph characteristics ; it is moderately powerful and fairly clear and responsive. The plates are left thickly wooded, and the tone will probably be much better when age and use have done their work. Facsimile label : —