James (II) Hardie

Auction price history

Highest auction price

£1,260

Type	Details	Sold	Price
Violin	36.1 cm Edinburgh, 1863	September 2010	£1,200
Violin	36.4 cm 1892	September 2007	£480
Violin	36.2 cm Edinburgh, 1900 c.	September 2007	£1,080
Violin	Edinburgh, 1888	December 2004	£713
Violin	1882	May 2004	£1,260
Violin	1860 c.	July 2003	£822
Violin	1891	March 2002	£300
Violin	1896	February 2002	£700
Violin	1891	February 1995	£402
Violin	1904	June 1993	£506
Violin	1870 c.	January 1992	£352
Violin	1891	February 1990	£455
Violin	1870 c.	February 1990	£330
Violin	1890 c.	November 1989	£528
Violin	1896	April 1989	£354
Violin	1900	April 1989	£440
Violin	1891	March 1989	£660
Violin	1896	January 1989	£528
Violin	1883	October 1988	£352
Violin	1893	July 1988	£610
Violin	1883	June 1988	£286
Violin	1900	June 1988	£242
Violin	1899	May 1988	£121
Violin	1893	December 1987	£462
Violin	1899	July 1987	£330
Violin	1891	November 1982	£108

Maker Overview

History

James (II) Hardie (1836-1916) was born on January 1, 1836, in Aquhedley, Parish of Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, James Hardie was the son of William and Mary Hardie (née Strachan). He was one of thirteen children. He received his education at the Methlic Public School and the Normal College, Edinburgh, as detailed by William Meredith Morris. He was the grandson and pupil of Peter Hardie, as noted by John Dilworth and Willibald Leo Lütgendorff. Hardie began his first instrument, a violoncello, at the age of nine, copying one belonging to his father. His formal training under his grandfather commenced at age fifteen in Dunkeld, according to Morris.

On January 23, 1862, he married Elsie Milne Davidson in Methlic, with whom he had thirteen children, six of whom died in infancy. His eldest son, James, an accomplished violinist, passed away on April 6, 1898. Hardie continued working as a schoolteacher until 1863, when he established his own workshop at 14 Marshall Street, Edinburgh. In 1895, he relocated his shop to 117 Nicholson Street, where he was assisted by his sons. While the firm became known as Jas Hardie & Sons, Morris clarifies that Hardie personally made all the instruments, with his sons assisting in minor tasks such as regulating and stringing, though his son William did make one violin. James (II) Hardie died in Edinburgh in 1916, as recorded by Dilworth.

Craft

Prolific Output: John Dilworth notes he was a prolific maker of over 200 hand-made violins, violas, cellos, and basses. William Meredith Morris states he produced well over two thousand fiddles, along with a goodly number of violoncellos and double-basses, with Willibald Leo Lütgendorff claiming he made around 4,000 violins.
Models: Hardie crafted instruments on classical patterns, with a decided preference for the Maggini model, also following Stradivari and Guarneri models. Many of his violins are made on a distinctive large Maggini model featuring double purfling, a characteristic that Morris highlights as a key identifier against forgeries.
Materials: He utilized beautiful old wood, selecting the finest quality material primarily for its acoustic properties rather than its aesthetic appearance, as described by Morris and Lütgendorff.
Varnish: His instruments feature a dark orange varnish, sometimes with a thicker, crackled texture, according to Dilworth. Morris elaborates that Hardie used an amber oil varnish, which he began applying in 1869. This varnish, based on fossil amber, varied in color from rich golden yellow to red and ruby, with the golden yellow tints being particularly successful. Hardie consistently made his own varnish.
Measurements: Hardie adopted the measurements of the great Brescian maker Maggini, adjusting thicknesses based on the density of the wood.
Tone: His instruments are noted for their large, rich, and telling tone, successfully emulating the characteristic Maggini sound.
Trade Instruments: In addition to his hand-made instruments, Hardie also labeled and sold approximately 2,000 imported trade instruments.
Pricing: According to Morris, his instruments were priced between £3 and £20.

Influence

Training: James (II) Hardie was the grandson and pupil of Peter Hardie, under whose instructions he began working at the age of fifteen in Dunkeld.
Varnish Development: William Meredith Morris notes that Hardie was significantly indebted to Dr. George Dickson for his initiation into the method of dissolving amber for varnish production.

Legacy

Awards and Exhibitions: Hardie received a gold medal at the Edinburgh Exhibition in 1890, as mentioned by Dilworth. Morris further details a bronze medal at the Edinburgh International Exhibition in 1886 and an honourable mention at the Glasgow Exhibition in 1886-87, in addition to the 1890 Edinburgh gold medal.
Authentication Challenges: The authentication of Hardie's instruments can be problematic. Dilworth and Morris both report instances where his cheaper instruments were acquired by individuals (such as a man known as Cooke) and subsequently sold with false labels of makers like Panormo and Fendt. Furthermore, copies of Hardie’s work were produced by later makers. Morris recounts a specific case where a maker of mediocre skill copied a fine Hardie Maggini model, applied a poor yellow oil varnish, inserted forged Hardie tickets, and sold them as genuine, noting that these forgeries were typically single purfled, unlike Hardie's double-purfled Maggini models.
Family Involvement: The firm operated as Jas Hardie & Sons, indicating the involvement of his sons in the business, though Hardie himself was the primary maker.

Further Information

Workshop Locations: Hardie's workshop was initially established at 14 Marshall Street, Edinburgh, in 1863, before moving to 117 Nicholson Street, Edinburgh, in 1895.
Labels: Examples of his labels include "Made by / James Hardie & Sons / Violin makers / Edinburgh 1891" and "James Hardie & Sons Makers / 117 Nicholson Street / Edinburgh [Rattray]".

Summary

James (II) Hardie (1836-1916) was a distinguished Scottish luthier, born in Aberdeenshire and trained by his grandfather, Peter Hardie. After a period as a schoolteacher, he established his Edinburgh workshop in 1863, later moving to 117 Nicholson Street where he operated as Jas Hardie & Sons. A prolific maker, he produced thousands of violins, violas, cellos, and basses, often favoring the Maggini model with distinctive double purfling. Hardie was known for his use of fine, acoustically superior wood and his self-made amber oil varnish, which he began using in 1869. His instruments are praised for their rich, telling tone. He received several accolades, including a gold medal at the 1890 Edinburgh Exhibition. However, his reputation also led to authentication challenges, with both his cheaper instruments being re-labeled as other makers' work and copies of his own instruments being forged.

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Biographies

John Dilworth William Meredith Morris Willibald Leo Lütgendorff

John Dilworth

HARDIE, James (II) Born 1836 Aguhadley, Aberdeen, died 1916 Edinburgh, Scotland UK. Grandson and pupil of Peter Hardie, below. Continued working as a schoolteacher until 1863, when he established his shop at 14 Marshall Street, Edinburgh. Then moved to 117 Nicholson Street in 1895, where he was assisted by his sons. Fine and prolific maker of more than 200 hand-made violins, violas, cellos, and basses on classical patterns, he also labelled and sold some 2,000 imported trade instruments. Authentication can be problematic. Henley states that many of the cheaper Hardie violins were obtained by a man known as Cooke who sold them with false labels of Panormo, Fendt, and others. Copies of Hardie’s work were also produced by later makers. Awarded gold medal at Edinburgh Exhibition 1890. Many violins made on a distinctive large Maggini model with double purfling. Dark orange varnish, some with a thicker crackled texture. Made by / James Hardie & Sons / Violin makers / Edinburgh 1891 James Hardie & Sons Makers / 117 Nicholson Street / Edinburgh [Rattray]

William Meredith Morris

He was born at Aquhedley, in the Parish of Ellon, Aberdeenshire, on Jan. 1, 1836 — not in 1837, as stated in some biographical dictionaries. He is the son of William and Mary Hardie, and is one of thirteen children — seven sons and six daughters. His mother’s maiden name was Strachan, and she belonged to Drumnagarrow, Aberdeenshire. She is still alive, and considerably over ninety years of age. Hardie received his education at the Methlic Public School, and in the Normal College, Edinburgh.

He commenced his first instrument, a violoncello, when nine years old ; it was a copy of an instrument belonging to his father, and he made it throughout, except the pegs. This was an exceptionally early age at which to take up the gouge and calipers ; but the real period of work commenced when he was fifteen, at which age he began to work under his grandfather’s instructions at Dunkeld.

On January 23, 1862, he was married to Miss Elsie Milne Davidson, at Methlic. From this union there has sprung a progeny of thirteen, named in order as follows : — Elsie, James, Elsie, William, Mary, Isabella, Mary, William, Alfred, Charles, Isabella, Evelyn, and Maud. Of these, six died in infancy. This accounts for several of the names being the same.

The eldest son, James, who was an excellent violin player, and a leader in the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh, died on April 6, 1898. From the age of fifteen down to the present, Hardie has been constantly at work. He is a prolific maker, and has, according to the strictest account, produced well over two thousand fiddles. He has made himself a goodly number of violoncellos and double-basses. All the work is personal. His sons assist him in minor matters, such as regulating, stringing up, &c., but not in actual making. Mr. William Hardie, however, has made one violin. Out of the two thousand and odd violins made by Hardie, a proportion of about twenty per cent., i.e. something like two hundred, are superior instruments, and reach a high standard of excellence. Many of these, it may be stated without exaggeration, are simply beautiful, and will certainly add lustre to the fame of Scotland’s makers. The material used in them is of the finest quality — chosen more for its acoustic properties than for its artistic appearance. The varnish is very fine, having for its basis fossil amber. It varies in colour from rich golden yellow to red and ruby, but is more successful in the golden yellow than in the other tints.

He commenced to use amber oil varnish in 1869 — just nine years after the first experiments of Dr. George Dickson, whatever may be the significance of the fact. I borrow the statement from Mr. W. C. Honeyman that Mr. Hardie is largely indebted to the Doctor for his initiation into the ???????? – of the method of dissolving amber. Certain it is, however, that Hardie makes, and always has made, his own varnish, Hardie follows the Stradivari, Guarneri, and Maggini models, but has a decided preference for the last named. His measurements are those of the great Brescian, but he varies in the thicknesses according to the density of his wood. All his instruments on the Maggini model are double purfled. This fact will help the average connoisseur to detect forgeries. It is curious that two series of forgeries of a diametrically opposite character have been perpetrated in connection with Hardie’s name.

One is recorded by Mr. Honeyman in his sketches in the People’s Friend. It is this : several of Hardie’s cheaper instruments — “pot-boilers” in fact — were purchased some years ago by a certain individual and labelled ” Panormo ” and ” Fendt,” and then sold in auction rooms.

The other is still more flattering to Hardie. A certain maker (personally known to the author), of mediocre attainments, possessed a fine Hardie fiddle (Maggini model) and made a number of copies of it. He varnished them with a poor oil varnish in glaring yellow, fitted them up, inserted a forged Hardie ticket, and got rid of them at the pawnbrokers. Some of these were sold afterwards for considerable sums. I know the locale of three of these counterfeit ” Hardies ” at the present moment. It has often amused me to watch their role in the little masquerade they carry on. One changed hands recently for £12. These ” Hardie-Maggini ” forgeries are, it should be noted, single purfled. Aliquando bonus dormitat Homerus.

Hardie’s wood is excellent, and his tone is large, rich, and telling. He succeeds well in producing the Maggini tone, and, no doubt, when his violins have been well used, the tone will have the copious ” tears ” of the Brescian maestro. His prices range from £3 to £20.

He has exhibited on several occasions. At the Edinburgh International Exhibition in 1886 he gained a bronze medal; at the Glasgow Exhibition in 1886-87 an honourable mention ; and at the International Exhibition, Edinburgh, in 1890, a gold medal. An Exhibition prize violin is shown in the illustration. Facsimile label : —