John Smith

History

John SMITH (1859-1941) was born on April 26, 1859, in Fauldhouse, Linlithgowshire, Scotland, and passed away in 1941 in Winnipeg, Canada. He was the son of an engineer and was formally apprenticed as a joiner and cabinet-maker. Smith began his venture into violin making in 1891. He established himself professionally in Glasgow around 1904. Prior to this, he worked for ten years at 28 Cockburn Street, Falkirk, where he crafted approximately fifty violins, along with a few violas and violoncellos. At the time of William Meredith Morris's writing, he was working at 40 Garthland Drive, Dennistoun, Glasgow. He later emigrated to Canada, becoming active in Winnipeg at 617 Furby Street.

Craft

• Models: Smith worked on various models, including those derived from Stradivari and Guarneri. William Meredith Morris notes that he chiefly adopted a model of his own design.
• Archings: Sources contain conflicting information regarding his arching. According to John Dilworth, his instruments featured a very flat arch that was full to the edges. Conversely, William Meredith Morris describes the arching as a trifle more pronounced than in the works of Stradivari and Joseph Guarneri, almost in the manner of Gasparo da Salò.
• Varnish: He utilized commercially available Whitelaw amber varnish, described as shaded golden-red by Dilworth and red-yellow amber by George Hart. Morris adds that the varnish was carefully laid on and highly polished.
• Materials: Smith employed excellent imported tonewoods and beautiful old wood, using cedar for the blocks.
• Sound-holes: His sound-holes exhibit a strong Brescian feeling, yet are distinctly more advanced than those of the old school, featuring a quasi-Gothic upper arch.
• Workmanship: His work is beautifully finished. A notable feature is the shoulder or base of the neck, which is designed for player comfort and ease of shifting. His scroll carving is described as magnificent, showcasing strength of mind and mastery of the gouge.
• Tone: The instruments produce a large and incisive tone, expected to become rich and sonorous with time and use.
• Labels: The color of his label paper is dark yellow.

Influence

• Mentorship: John Smith was a pupil of John Carr, a music teacher and violin-maker from Falkirk.
• Guidance: He was guided by P. Davidson's book, The Violin; a technical analysis, which was published in Glasgow in 1871.

Legacy

• Recognition: William Meredith Morris considered John Smith to be among the three or four makers forming the vanguard of modern Scottish makers.

Further Information

• Addresses: Smith worked at 28 Cockburn Street, Falkirk; 40 Garthland Drive, Dennistoun, Glasgow; and 617 Furby Street, Winnipeg.
• Labels: Examples of his labels include "Made by John Smith Falkirk / No. 1893", "Made by John Smith / late of Falkirk / Glasgow / no 54 14/1/1905", and "Made by John Smith / 617 Furby St. Winnipeg / Late of Glasgow & Falkirk, Scotland".

Summary

John Smith (1859-1941) was a Scottish violin maker who began his career in 1891 after an apprenticeship as a joiner and cabinet-maker. He was a pupil of John Carr and was influenced by P. Davidson's technical analysis of the violin. Smith worked in Falkirk and Glasgow before emigrating to Winnipeg, Canada. He crafted instruments on Stradivari- and Guarneri-derived models, as well as his own design, utilizing excellent imported tonewoods and a distinctive amber varnish. His work is noted for its beautiful finish, comfortable neck design, and magnificent scroll carving, producing a large and incisive tone.