Chapter I: Preface

The highly esteemed author of this treatise, a renowned violin maker and clever repairer, of old instruments, having been denied the pleasure of publishing the same himself, death intervening on January 4th, 1893, his work on the violin and the art of its construction is now published, in accordance with his last wishes.

This treatise will, no doubt, be all the more welcome to professionals and amateurs alike, as to my knowledge no such work has yet been published treating the subject in such an able and thorough manner.

May, therefore, the valuable labours of the deceased author meet with that universal acknowledgment, which in a very high degree they deserve.

_Göttingen_, April 1895.

The Editor.

Index.

Introduction Page 7

I. Of the Wood ” 10

II. Of the Construction ” 11

III. The Ribs ” 12

IV. The Back and Edges ” 12

V. The Belly ” 13

VI. The Arching ” 13

VII. The Purfling ” 14

VIII. Working-out the Thicknesses of the Belly and Back ” 15

IX. The F-holes ” 16

X. The Bass-bar ” 16

XI. The Head or Neck ” 18

XII. The Dimensions, Length of Neck and Body ” 18

XIII. The Finger-board and Nut ” 21

XIV. The Position of the Neck ” 21

XV. The Tail-piece ” 22

XVI. The Pegs ” 24

XVII. The Bridge ” 24

XVIII. The Sound-post ” 25

XIX. The Strings ” 27

XX. The Varnish ” 28

XXI. The Cleaning and Care of the Violin ” 32

XXII. The Bow ” 32