Arthur Richardson
Crediton, Devon, 1882–1965
Self-taught violin maker. One of the finest 20th century English makers. Initial career as an architectural wood carver in Leeds. Established professionally as a violin maker from 1915 in Crediton. — John Dilworth
Instruments
Auction Price History
Highest auction price
82 results
| Type | Details | Auction house | Sold | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viola | Tertis model, two-piece back, varnish of a plum red colour on a golden ground Lot 3465 | Gardiner Houlgate | June 2025 | £4,636est. £ 1,500-2,500 |
| Viola | Labelled R. T. Viola Tertis model, made by Arthur Richardson, Crediton Devon Lot 15 | — | January 2024 | £5,159est. € 3.000-5.000 |
| Viola | Tertis model, labelled and inscribed R.T. N° 86 Tertis Model, Made by Arthur Richardson Crediton ... Lot 220 | Ingles & Hayday | October 2023 | £4,200est. £ 4,000-6,000 |
| Viola | Tertis model, labelled Made by Arthur Richardson T. T. Viola - No. 168 Crediton, Devon 1961 Lot 35 | Tarisio | March 2022 | £4,356est. $ 3,000-5,000 |
| Violin | Two-piece back of medium broad curl, varnish of a plum red colour on a golden ground Lot 2466 | Gardiner Houlgate | December 2020 | £4,800est. £ 2,000-3,000 |
| Viola | Tertis model, labelled R. T. Viola no. 166 Tertis Model, Made by Arthur Richardson, Crediton, Devon ... Lot 47 | Tarisio | November 2020 | £4,900est. $ 4,000-6,000 |
| Viola | Tertis model, labelled Made by Arthur Richardson Crediton, Devon 1945 Lot 134 | Ingles & Hayday | October 2019 | £5,400est. £ 4,500-6,000 |
| Viola | Labelled No. 15, This viola is specially designed in collaboration with Mr. Lionel ... Lot 155 | Brompton’s | December 2018 | £4,720est. £ 4,000-6,000 |
| Viola | Two-piece back of medium fine curl, varnish of a deep reddish brown colour on a golden ground Lot 2460 | Gardiner Houlgate | December 2018 | £4,320est. £ 2,500-3,500 |
| Violin | Two-piece back of faint medium curl, varnish of a light reddish-brown colour on a golden ground Lot 1515 | Gardiner Houlgate | June 2018 | £2,880est. £ 1,500-2,000 |
| Viola | Labelled R. T. Viola No. 120 Tertis Model, Made by Arthur Richardson, Crediton, Devon. 1954, signed Lot 40 | Tarisio | May 2018 | £9,732est. $ 6,000-9,000 |
| Viola | Labelled This viola is specially designed in collaboration with ... Lot 149 | Brompton’s | December 2017 | £5,280est. £ 2,000-3,000 |
| Violin | Labelled N° 230 Made by Arthur Richardson Crediton. Devon. 1936, signed internally on the back Lot 103 | Ingles & Hayday | October 2017 | £3,120est. £ 3,000-5,000 |
| Viola | Tertis model, one-piece back of faint broad curl, varnish of a reddish colour on a golden ground Lot 56 | Gardiner Houlgate | October 2017 | £2,160est. £ 2,000-3,000 |
| Viola | Labelled R. T. Viola No 132 ... Lot 138 | Brompton’s | October 2016 | £4,200est. £ 2,500-3,500 |
| Violin | Labelled Made by Arthur Richardson, Crediton, Devon 1936 No.234, signed and dated internally Lot 90 | Ingles & Hayday | March 2016 | £2,880est. £ 3,000-4,000 |
| Violin | Lot 194 | Bonhams | November 2015 | £2 |
| Viola | Labelled Made by Arthur Richardson ... for A.J. Stevens, Torquay 2/8/29, Crediton, Devon Lot 134 | Brompton’s | November 2015 | £9,600est. £ 8,000-12,000 |
| Viola | Labelled Made by Arthur Richardson Crediton, Devon, 1938, no. 25 viola Lot 160 | Ingles & Hayday | November 2015 | £4,200est. £ 3,000-5,000 |
| Violin | Labelled and signed internally by the maker, lightly craquelled varnish of a red colour Lot 194 | Bonhams | May 2015 | £2,250est. £ 2,000-3,000 |
| Violin | Bearing an original label, signed on the label Lot 250 | Brompton’s | October 2014 | £3,360est. £ 2,000-4,000 |
| Violin | Bearing an original label, signed on the label, numbered 140 Lot 295 | Brompton’s | October 2014 | £2,640est. £ 1,500-2,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Made by Arthur Richardson, Crediton, Devon, No. 292, 1962, inscribed to the inside back Lot 294 | Tarisio | December 2013 | £4,397est. $ 3,000-5,000 |
| Viola | Tertis model, labelled Made by Arthur Richardson, R. T. Viola - No. 168, Crediton, Devon, 1961 Lot 56 | Tarisio | June 2013 | £2,320est. $ 3,000-5,000 |
| Viola | Labelled R. T. Viola No. 146, Tertis model, Made by Arthur Richardson, Crediton, Devon, 1957 Lot 79 | Tarisio | November 2012 | £3,745est. $ 6,000-9,000 |
| Violin | 35.3 cm Crediton, 1927 n°123 | — | January 2011 | £3,840 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Devon, 1920 | — | January 2011 | £2,300 |
| Violin | 35.7 cm 1921 | — | January 2011 | £2,400 |
| Violin | 35.7 cm Crediton, 1920 | — | January 2010 | £1,080 |
| Viola | 43.0 cm Crediton, 1952 'Tertis' model | — | January 2010 | £2,280 |
| Violin | 35.7 cm Devon, 1928 | — | January 2010 | £3,220 |
| Violin | 35.4 cm Devon, 1928 | — | January 2010 | £4,370 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Devon, 1934 | — | January 2010 | £5,060 |
| Violin | 35.5 cm Crediton, 1924 | — | January 2009 | £3,600 |
| Viola | 42.7 cm Devon, 1960 'Tertis' model | — | January 2009 | £2,340 |
| Violin | 35.3 cm Crediton, 1926 | — | January 2008 | £5,187 |
| Viola | 42.7 cm Devon, 1953 'Tertis' model | — | January 2005 | £2,442 |
| Violin | Devon, 1926 | — | January 2005 | £2,137 |
| Viola | 42.5 cm 1947 | — | January 2003 | £3,120 |
| Violin | 1942 | — | January 2003 | £3,643 |
| Violin | 1924 | — | January 2002 | £2,760 |
| Violin | 1923 | — | January 2000 | £2,185 |
| Cello | 1919 | — | January 2000 | £9,200 |
| Violin | 1936 | — | January 2000 | £5,520 |
| Violin | 1940 | — | January 2000 | £4,025 |
| Violin Bow | G/T 65 g. | — | January 1999 | £827 |
| Violin | 1919 | — | January 1999 | £3,500 |
| Violin | 1926 | — | January 1999 | £2,800 |
| Cello | 1926 | — | January 1999 | £3,335 |
| Violin | 1944 | — | January 1998 | £4,600 |
| Violin | 1927 | — | January 1997 | £3,450 |
| Viola | 42.9 cm 1945 | — | January 1997 | £1,380 |
| Violin | 1927 | — | January 1996 | £3,335 |
| Violin | 1934 | — | January 1996 | £5,060 |
| Violin | 1935 | — | January 1996 | £4,600 |
| Violin | 1928 | — | January 1995 | £2,760 |
| Violin | 19-- | — | January 1995 | £1,380 |
| Violin | 1932 | — | January 1994 | £3,220 |
| Violin | 1927 | — | January 1994 | £2,640 |
| Violin | 1936 | — | January 1994 | £3,220 |
| Viola | 42.9 cm 1947 | — | January 1994 | £2,070 |
| Violin | 1932 | — | January 1993 | £2,970 |
| Viola | 42.9 cm 1945 | — | January 1993 | £1,840 |
| Viola | 42.5 cm 1951 | — | January 1993 | £1,100 |
| Viola | 42.5 cm 1954 | — | January 1992 | £1,320 |
| Violin | 1923 | — | January 1992 | £2,420 |
| Viola | 42.5 cm 1938 | — | January 1992 | £1,870 |
| Viola | 41.3 cm 1924 | — | January 1991 | £715 |
| Cello | 1921 | — | January 1990 | £4,950 |
| Viola | 42.5 cm 1948 | — | January 1990 | £1,650 |
| Viola | 42.5 cm 1952 | — | January 1989 | £2,970 |
| Viola | 42.9 cm 1945 | — | January 1989 | £1,540 |
| Viola | 42.9 cm 1939 | — | January 1989 | £1,320 |
| Viola | 41.3 cm 1938 | — | January 1988 | £2,640 |
| Viola | 42.9 cm 1951 | — | January 1988 | £1,155 |
| Viola | 41.3 cm 1934 | — | January 1986 | £2,200 |
| Viola | 42.9 cm 1946 | — | January 1986 | £1,134 |
| Cello | 1934 | — | January 1985 | £3,520 |
| Viola | 42.5 cm 1950 | — | January 1984 | £650 |
| Cello | 1929 | — | January 1983 | £1,026 |
| Viola | 42.5 cm 1948 | — | January 1982 | £863 |
| Cello | 1937 | — | January 1981 | £2,722 |
No results match those filters.
Biographies
The overview above is drawn from the following published accounts. Read them in the original:
John Dilworth+
RICHARDSON, Arthur Born 1882 Stavely, Derbyshire, died 1965 Crediton, Devon UK. Self-taught violin maker. One of the finest 20th century English makers. Initial career as an architectural wood carver in Leeds. Established professionally as a violin maker from 1915 in Crediton. Copies of the Stradivari ‘Alard’, ‘Tuscan’, and ‘Betts’ violins, and the Guarneri del Gesù ‘King Joseph’ and ‘Sainton’ violins. Also a Stradivari-derived personal pattern. Associated with Lionel Tertis in developing the ‘Tertis model’ viola, temporarily successful but presently out of favour. Awarded first prize in the Cobbett Competition 1919 for a violin and quartet. Worked with a chemist named Millington at Borrowwash, Derby to develop a fine clear and well-coloured varnish, which was subsequently sold commercially with considerable success. Completed 177 Tertis violas, 30 conventional altos, 291 violins and 28 cellos. Awarded the M.B.E in 1961. No.. Made by / Arthur Richardson / Crediton. Devon
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