Barak Norman

Highest auction price achieved
£ 20669.00

By George Hart

The instruments of this maker are among the best of the Old English school. His instructor in the art of Viol and Violin-making is unknown, but judging from the character of his work it is very probable he learned from Thomas Urquhart. This opinion is strengthened upon examining his earliest instruments. We there find the same peculiarities which mark the individuality of Urquhart. Later in life he leaned much to the model of Maggini. During his early years he was much esteemed as a maker of Viols, many of which have all the marks of careful work upon them. On all of these instruments will be found his name, surrounded with a design in purfling, under the finger-board, or his monogram executed in purfling. The same trade token will be found in his Violoncellos. All endeavours to discover any existing English Violoncello, or record of one, anterior to Barak Norman, have failed, and, consequently, it may be assumed that he was the first maker of that instrument in England. Here, again, is evidence of his partiality for the form of the Maggini, both father and son, as he copied these makers in nearly all his Violoncellos. All the Violoncellos of Barak Norman have bellies of splendid quality; the modelling is executed skilfully, due care having been observed in leaving sufficient wood. His Tenors are fine instruments. Many of these were made years before he began the Violoncellos, a fact which satisfactorily accounts for the marked difference in form peculiar to them. The build is higher, and the sound-hole German in character; the varnish is very dark. About the year 1715 Barak Norman entered into partnership with Nathaniel Cross, carrying on the joint business at the sign of the Bass Viol, St. Paul's Churchyard. In a Viol da Gamba owned by Walter Brooksbank, Esq., of Windermere, is a label in the handwriting of Nathaniel Cross, by which he adds the power of speech to the qualities of the quaint Gamba; the words are, " Nathaniel Cross wrought my back and belly." The sides and scroll being the work of his partner.

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Price History

Type Title Sold Price
Viola 40.3 cm 17-- Sat 1st November 80 £ 1980.00
Cello 1725 Tue 1st November 83 £ 2253.00
Cello 71.1 cm 1700 c. Thu 1st November 07 £ 20669.00
Cello 1710 [Possibly by] Thu 1st November 01 £ 2800.00
Cello 1715 Wed 1st March 00 £ 9200.00
Cello 1720 Sat 1st March 97 £ 2530.00
Viola 37.8 cm 1704 Tue 1st November 94 £ 1035.00
Cello 1720 Thu 1st July 93 £ 14375.00
Cello 1718 Fri 1st March 91 £ 1980.00
Viola 41.6 cm 1720 c. Wed 1st March 89 £ 2057.00
Cello 1722 Thu 1st May 86 £ 8800.00
Cello 17-- Sun 1st April 84 £ 2200.00
Cello 1715 Thu 1st January 81 £ 1375.00

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