Joseph Merlin

John Dilworth

MERLIN, Joseph Born 1735 Huys, Liège Belgium, died 1803 London UK. Inventor and entrepreneur. Worked in Paris c.1750, moving to London 1760. There he was commissioned to build a barrel-organ for the Princess of Wales, and worked with a goldsmith in New Street, Covent Garden, close to the workshop of John Marshall. Few conventional musical instruments with his label but primarily engaged in the design and manufacture of complex automatons. One very ordinary London Stainer model violin bears his label dated 1776, but seems to have been ‘improved’ with the addition of his patent ‘non-slip’ pegs. More interesting is a five-string cello (‘Pentachord’ by his own description) made for Sir Edward Walpole. His rare known work show signs of having been supplied by various London craftsmen of the time, with dull brown or red-brown spirit varnish, but neatly worked. Merlin’s most famous exploit is his demonstration of another invention, roller-skates, on which he danced while playing the violin. Unfortunately the demonstration ended with him colliding with a large mirror in Carlisle House, Soho Square, destroying it and his violin. Cello branded beneath back button: ‘I. Merlin / London’. Printed and amended label: Josephus Merlin / Cremonae Emulus / No. 106 Londini 1778 / Improved / Queen Ann, No. 66, Street East / Portland Chapel

William Meredith Morris

Stainer model, fairly well made, but possessing a poor tone. The varnish is mostly dirty yellow or brown of an inferior quality. His mechanical pegs for violins and violoncellos were at one time in considerable use. Label : —

JOSEPHUS MERLIN CREMONAE EMULUS. NO. 104. LONDINI, 1779. IMPROVED. 66 QUEEN ANN STREET EAST, PORTLAND CHAPEL

Cecie Stainer

A maker in London, Princes Street, Hanover Square, in 1770-80. His violins and his mechanical pegs for violins and violoncellos were at one time very fashionable. He followed the high Stainer model, his instruments were well made, but the tone was not good.

Willibald Leo Lütgendorff

Arbeitete nach dem Stainer-Modell und war seiner Zeit als genialer Erfinder von allerlei mechanischen Gegenständen berühmt. Er arbeitete gut, doch lässt der Ton
seiner Instrumente zu wünschen übrig Er verwendete meist ovale Zettel.