Henry (I) Jay

History

Henry (I) Jay (circa. 1585-1667) worked in Southwark, London, UK, from approximately 1585 to 1667. Both spellings of his name, Jay and Jaye, are found on labels and in historical texts. He was an important early English viol maker, and his instruments were particularly prized throughout Europe during his time, as noted by Thomas Mace in his Musick's Monument (1676). Henry Jay was made a Freeman of the Fletcher's company in 1606, an organization to which other notable makers like Richard Meares and William Baker also belonged. Thomas Mace's Musick's Monument (published 1676) states, "Your best provision (and most compleat) will be a good chest of viols . . . of such there are no better in the world than those of Aldred, Jay . . . . these were old .... yet we chiefly value Old Instruments before new; for by experience they are found to be far the best." Thomas Britton's Catalogue of Musical Instruments also refers to him, mentioning "a viol said to be the neatest and best that Jay ever made."

Craft

• Instrument Type: Henry Jay was primarily a maker of viols, including bass viols and tenor viols. One of his viols was converted into a small violoncello with four strings.
• Workmanship: His work is considered excellent, characterized by fine tone, good quality varnish, well-cut heads, and very fine purfling. William Meredith Morris notes his work is "considered excellent."
• Specific Instruments: Several of his viols are extant. An excellently made viol, converted into a small violoncello, was dated "in Southwarke, 1615." A small bass-viol dated 1624 is part of the Paris Conservatoire Collection (No. 171). A tenor viol, exhibited at the South Kensington Museum, London, in 1872, featured six strings, catgut frets, and a beautifully carved scroll. A finely decorated bass viol is currently held in the Royal College of Music, London, as part of the Kessler collection.

Legacy

• Museum Collections: Henry Jay's instruments are preserved in significant collections. One viol was formerly in the Victoria and Albert Museum, another is in the Gemeente Museum, The Hague, and a bass viol is in the Royal College of Music, London. The Paris Conservatoire Collection also houses one of his bass viols.
• Historical Esteem: He was singled out by Thomas Mace as one of the best makers of his time, and his instruments were highly valued, with Mace stating there were "no better in the world" than those by makers like Jay.

Further Information

• Labels and Inscriptions: Labels found on his instruments include "Henry Jaye in Southwarke 1621" and "Henry Jay in Southwarke, 1667." The Selhof'schen Versteigerungskatalog (1759) lists a gamba by "Henr. Geaye Southwark London 1632."
• Name Spellings: Both "Jay" and "Jaye" are found on his labels and in historical texts.
• Working Location: He worked in Southwark, London, UK.

Summary

Henry (I) Jay (circa. 1585-1667) was a highly esteemed early English viol maker who worked in Southwark, London. Recognized by contemporaries like Thomas Mace and Thomas Britton for the excellent quality and fine tone of his instruments, Jay's viols were considered among the best of his era. He was a Freeman of the Fletcher's company in 1606. Several of his instruments, including bass and tenor viols, are preserved in prominent collections such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Gemeente Museum, The Hague, the Royal College of Music, London, and the Paris Conservatoire Collection.