He most often worked from the Amati model. Violins and Violin Makers Biographical Dictionary of the Great Italian Artistes, their Followers and Imitators, to the present time. London, Violin - These cookies provide basic security, authentication and network management functions. After many years working for Duke, Betts became the foreman of his workshop and eventually took over the business. The Strad magazine has generously allowed us to reproduce two articles in this presentation: Exhibition Report: Born in the USA (July 2006) and National Treasure (November 2006). Kemp Hall Passage, Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. John Betts. Tarisio 2023, The Muntz, Bower, Lam, an exceptional violin bow by Franois Xavier Tourte. Sam Zygmuntowicz was in charge of the neck and scroll, and is shown here putting the final touches on the neck. Composite, newer top (19th century) original back and sides. The tone is moderately powerful, and very sweet and mellow. While these craftsmen produced a very important body of work, particularly the cellos which have become highly sought-after, Betts greatest importance was as a violin expert. John Betts Auction Results. photograph | 16 photographs : color | Photograph (Form). John Betts school / circle: fine antique English violin circa 1820, Renting or leasing a violin from Corilon violins. He moved to London at the age of 12 to apprentice with Richard Duke. It continued into the 1860s under the direction of Arthur's sons Arthur II and John II before finally closing in 1867. His teacher had been none other than the famous violinist, Giovanni Battista Viotti, who played a 1709 golden period Stradivari violin, so Arthur knew what he was doing. Professional violin, to quote a veteran Gypsy style player. In 2011, John Waddle was in charge of the back, Raymond Shryer, who has his violin shop in Canada, was in charge of the top, Gregg Alf, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, was in charge of the rib structure, and Sam Zygmuntowicz, whose violin shop is in Brooklyn, New York, was in charge of the neck and scroll. With its expressive personality, the instrument presented here was likely made by one of his students and reflects the influence of "Old . - 115 auction price results. 43883.00. The Betts Project - Rossow Violins Contact Us. Betts instruments tend to exhibit very high standards of . Fax: +1 212 202 4660, Tarisio London 130 High Street, Betts instruments tend to exhibit very high standards of craftsmanship and tone. (351 mm) with double case (2) If you wish to view the condition report of this lot, please sign in to your account. The Oberlin violin makers workshop has been in operation for fifteen years. John Betts (1752 - 1823) was apprenticed to Richard Duke in 1765 before becoming established independently in 1781 in Holborn, then the Royal Exchange. Instruments made at the workshop are offered for sale to the public, with the proceeds going to keep the workshop in operation. Web.. https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200155591/. Betts was a talented maker himself and also employed some of the most talented English makers of the period, including . John is also part of an ongoing collaboration with luthier Stephen M. Rossow, and Radiologist Steven A. Sirr, M.D., on a project that uses existing and emerging technologies to explore the structure of-and . The last photo is a copy we made. Dismiss. 1786, Violin - Company number: 9889926. Unfortunately, your registration has been declined by the auctioneer. It can carve wood more accurately than a human can. He came to London to work for Richard Duke in Holborn in 1765. Established 1982 Tel: 020 7249 9398 . The violin has a two piece back of . Berlin, 10719 John Betts. 244-250 West 54th Street Over the course of its history the shop produced a large range of instruments, from inexpensive models with painted purfling to some of the most exquisite Stradivari and Guarneri copies in the history of British violin making. If on the other hand, you are a person who cannot afford to buy such a violin, you might be able to actually own a fine violin which is very close, for a fraction of the cost. His instruments reflect the same care and artistry admired in the cremonese masters. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Below, on the left is a photo of the top of the Betts, compared with a CT scan of the top, and aphoto of our new digitally carved copy of the front of the Betts. John Betts school / circle: fine antique English violin circa 1820. Amati, in collaboration with leading experts, have published a few key books in the field of stringed instruments. Bow maker / Violin maker (born February 17, 1949 in Moncton, New Brunswick) is a teacher and a New Brunswick politician. Email (*) Message (*) Enter Captcha. The Betts Stradivarius violin was the focus of the workshop. He was born in 1752 in Stamford and died in 1823 in London. Because of his great knowledge of the history of violin making, Betts was an excellent copyist. Arthur managed the Betts shop after his brother's death in 1823, together with his nephew . He made his own instruments as well as collecting and trading the work of old masters. John Betts cello, London circa 1810 First Name (*) Last Name (*) Cookie Policy The next picture shows Stradivari's beautiful arching being re-created using our new process. JOHN BETTS A VIOLIN, LONDON, CIRCA 1780 Unlabeled, branded at the button BETTS ROYAL EXCHANGE LONDON, branded at the end pin J. BETTS, length of back: 13 13/16 in. , circa 1800Viola, John Betts Article. John Betts, Violin, c.1790, London. It is of a good Stradivarian model with quite rudimentary antiquing to the varnish. The two of them are shown in the workshop discussing some aspect of the project. Italian instruments to London, and was partly responsible for the ascent of, Sales Tax (New York, London and Berlin Sales), Panormo The life and work of Vincenzo and his sons Latest research, new biography, 22 instruments and bows, LSO Digital Exhibition, Violins of the LSO Violin Festival. How much is my John Betts Violin worth? In June of 2011, Steve Rossow, Steve Sirr, and John Waddle went to Oberlin, Ohio, to participate in the Oberlin violin makers workshop. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. Betts himself became Official Valuer of violins to the Customs office. It's questionable how many violins John Betts himself made, but he employed an illustrious group of makers such as Tobin, Vincenzo and Joseph Panormo, both Bernard Simon Fendts and John Furber, along with other less well known names. John Betts (1755-1823) was born in Lincolnshire. Using another set of wood, also carefully selected, John, Steve Sirr, and Steve Rossow have completed another Betts copy violin. One of the most important and influential violin makers in England in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, John Betts was born in Stamford, Lincolnshire, in 1752. Chris Germain is third from the left in the front row. One of the many things that is pleasing about this beautiful instrument is that it represents some of the very best work of both makers. Ok, got it! Violin by Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, "Betts". Below, on the left, is a photo of the back of the Betts. After many years working for Duke, Betts became the foreman of his workshop and eventually took over the business. Ward owned the violin for over 40 years; on his death it passed to the Hills. This instrument is now in my possession, and in excellent condition, having been recently repaired by Mr. J. W. Owen of Leeds. He did not make many instruments himself, but employed excellent workmen, such as the Panormos, John Carter, Edward Betts, Bernhard Fendt, &c. The work is excellent, but poor instruments were occasionally sold by him, bearing his label. Length of back 35.4cm, stop 132/193mm He was universally known as " Old John Betts," and was well respected and patronised. What a good looking bunch! Article. Gregg Alf is shown here carving the final shape of the blocks in the rib structure of the copy. There was problem sending your activation email, please contact us. Brompton's is delighted to offer complimentary Violin appraisals for insurance, probate or sale purposes. a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate. In 1781 he was established independently in Holborn, moving to Royal Exchange in 1782. 35.6 cm London, 1810 c. after "Nicolo Amati", 73.6 cm London, Early 19th C. [Workshop of]. Photograph (Form). Oxford, OX1 4DH The "Betts" is one of Stradivari's finest works--marking the beginning of what is described as his golden period. If you are interested in purchasing one of the instruments, contact Chris Germain. Bow maker / Violin maker. If you agree to being contacted in this way, please tick the relevant box. (1752 - 1823) Little is known about the early life of John Betts, son of Edward Betts, a farmer from Stamford. The instrument is the work of one of his students or another luthier who upheld the Betts tradition, making it a worthy representative of early 19thcentury English violin making, and its interesting, stylish aesthetic is just as compelling as its exceptionally beautiful sound. Article. John Betts - Potter Violins In about 1820, an individual entered Betts' shop at the Royal Exchange in London and offered the violin in its pristine state. One of the great advantages to having a dealership in conjunction with a workshop is that the makers had access to all sorts of beautiful and important Italian instruments to copy. Intl: +44 207 175 1737 The 'Betts' Stradivari of 1704 - Tarisio He was universally known as " Old John Betts," and was well respected and patronised. It simply isn't true that old violins always sound better than new ones. John Betts - Maker - Brompton's Auctioneers We hold two auctions a year at Sothebys in London, generally in March and October. (1847 - 1867) Arthur II and John Betts II inherited the family business at London's Royal Exchange from their father, Arthur I in 1847 and instruments with the label 'Arthur and John Betts' were made from this point until the shop closed in 1867. The whole event was documented by NHK TV of Japan. Violin by Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, "Betts". . His shop was staffed by some of the best 18th and 19th century British craftsmen, including Vincenzo Panormo, Joseph Hill II, Henry Lockey Hill, Richard Tobin, Bernard Simon Fendt, and John Furber. We use cookies to improve our services and provide you with a better shopping experience. - The auction record for this maker is $61,875 in Nov 2001, for a cello. His refusal to allow Charles to profit from the purchase led to the partners falling out. John Betts, London, c.1790 - Benjamin Hebbert Fendts. Here are two pictures of the finished violin next to the Betts. The one inserted into the violoncello just referred to reads : John Betts (1752-1823) In 1765, around the age of 13, John Betts made the 160 kilometer journey to London from his hometown of Stamford. The "Betts" is among the most legendary violins from Stradivari's workshop. My great-grandfather ordered a violoncello of Betts in the year 1780, to be made by Betts himself. Photograph (Form). We also have a selection of instruments and bows for private sale all year round. John Betts I | Tarisio Arthur Betts I | Tarisio JOHN BETTS - Christie's John Edward Betts - Wikipedia John (I) Betts. London, England c. 1790-1810 Length of Back: 36.0 cm Upper Bout: 16.1 cm Middle Bout: 11.0 cm Lower Bout: 20.0 cm Certificates on file: Bein & Fushi 1984 William Lewis and Son 1957 The words "Jo. The 1704 "Betts" Stradivari violin was crafted by Antonio Stradivari, an Italian manufacturer of string instruments who lived from 1644 to 1737. Vincenzo Panormo also worked closely with Betts and certainly provided the expertise in making that brought about a change from the Stainer- and Amati-modelled work that Betts himself specialised in, towards fine Stradivari copies. 2 North Piazza, Londini," are also written across the back on the inside, near the top, and an inscription, which is not decipherable, is written across the belly near the left sound- hole. It was he who established the great Betts workshop in Holborns Royal Exchange around 1782. Bow maker / Violin maker. Gregg is holding the violin made by the class in 2010 and varnished in 2011. He was not an exceptional luthier but he had a good eye for business and was therefore able to provide a livelihood for many of the most notable makers of the day. Stamped Betts / Royal Exchange / London. please inquire . [Web.] Article. It's questionable how many violins Betts himself made, but he employed an illustrious group of makers such as Tobin, Vincenzo and Joseph Panormo, both Bernard Simon Fendts and John Furber, along with other less well known names. By 1920, the "Betts" was owned by R. D. Waddell of Glasgow. In turn his workshop influenced the leading makers of the day to look towards increasingly detailed copying of Cremonese masterpieces, assisted to a great extent by his relationship with Vincenzo Panormo, an Italian maker working in London. Here is a picture of Raymond Shryer smoothing the top for the Betts copy with a scraper. Choose whether this website uses functional cookies or cookies for tracking and performance, as described. It remained a treasured . Click the button below and we'll email you a link to generate your Tarisio password. This outstanding reputation may be why John Betts was always able to engage excellent violin makers such as Richard Tobin, Henry Lockey Hill and members of the famous Panormo family as his employees. Can you tell which is which? John Montgomery, Sam Zygmuntowicz, Raymond Shryer also did some needed tonal adjustments on it. Lob 352mm. Composite, newer top (19th century) original back and sides. Once we have obtained quality CT scans of a violin, we can analyze its physical properties, density, mass, linear measurements, volumes, etc. Betts Workshop Violin, London circa 1820. If you currently own a John Betts Violin, click the button below to receive a free valuation: Violin Valuation. At this stage, the assessment is free and without obligation. The violin has a two piece back of highly-figured, quarter sawn maple which is book-matched. Maker - Amati - John (I) Betts (1752 1823), Little is known about the early life of John Betts, son of Edward Betts, a farmer from Stamford. photograph | 35 photographs : color | Photograph (Form). Violin - Please follow the link to confirm your registration. Betts Workshop Violin, London circa 1820 | SOLD This website uses cookies to ensure that we give you the best user experience. , circa 1814Violin, John Betts The history of the Stradivarius violin, now known as "the Betts", up to the early 1820's, is completely unknown, but it was at that time that an unknown person walked into the violin shop of Arthur Betts and his nephew, with the violin and offered it for sale. Violin by the Workshop of John Betts, London, c.1810 The Betts violin was the focus of the 2011 Oberlin Workshop, and John Waddle, Steve Sirr, and I were excited to have renowned makers such as Gregg Alf, Chris Germain, Bill Scott, Raymond Shryer, and Sam Zygmuntowicz join us in working on a group project creating a copy of the Betts, using a top, back, neck, and scroll that I had carved using CT . This violin, a copy of the "Ole Bull" Guarneri, is finished and has been sold. Even Stradivari violins need adjusting from time to time. John Betts Nationalit Ca Wikipdia en Franais. including this fine violin, Betts' greatest importance was as an expert and entrepreneur, responsible for making London a major centre of violin making activity in the 19th century. The written permission of the copyright owners and/or other rights holders (such as holders of publicity and/or privacy rights) is required for distribution, reproduction, or other use of protected items beyond that allowed by fair use or other statutory exemptions. Arthur Betts used the violin for the rest of his career. Whoever he was, he didn't know what he had, and accepted Arthur Bett's offer of one Guinea. In 1765 he moved to London to apprentice with Richard Duke and after seven years he became shop foreman, eventually buying the business from Duke's daughter. Betts Workshop Violin, London circa 1820 | SOLD - Martin Swan Violins John Betts, London, c.1785 - Reuning & Son Violins The varnishing was be done by Jeff Phillips and Antoine Nedelec in Oberlin. Hill and Sons). Betts, John - violin_makers.en-academic.com He became known as an expert dealer and businessman, and was appointed Official Valuer of violins to the Customs Office. Violin by Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, "Betts". They liaised with my insurers and started work within days . Arthur & John Betts | Tarisio Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permission ultimately rests with persons desiring to use the item. The violin is in stunning original condition with no cracks. 1730, "Goldberg-Baron Vitta", Viola by Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1690, "Tuscan-Medici", Violin by Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1704, "Betts", - Next to that is a photo of the new copy. Please get in touch for more details about this beautiful English violin for sale by Arthur and John Betts. JOHN BETTS, NO, 2, NORTH PIAZZA, ROYAL EXCHANGE, LONDINI, FECIT, JANUARY 9, 1782 I wrote an article, in collaboration with Steve Sirr, and Steve Rossow, on the Betts, which is available in the May 2010 issue of "the Strad" Magazine, published in London. John Betts came from Stamford, Lincolnshire, and came to London in 1765 to apprentice with Richard Duke, rising to become the shop foreman after seven years, and eventually buying the business from Dukes daughter, reforming the company under his own name by 1781. . Brompton's reference library, in association with Claudio Amighetti, provides you with the price of a Violin by John Betts from Brompton's March 2012 auction results. Users should consult the bibliographic information that accompanies each item for specific information. The Betts Stradivarius violin was the focus of the workshop. This violin was part of an event in conjunction with Cremona Mondomusica in New York city in March of 2013, called "Stradivari vs. the Modern Violin". He became known as an expert dealer and businessman, and was appointed Official Valuer of violins to the Customs Office. | Suggested credit line: Library of Congress, Music Division. Next to him is Gregg Alf. He is holding the violin we made there. He . Apprenticed to Richard Duke in 1765, subsequently buying the business from Dukes daughter Anne. United States, Email: info.newyork@tarisio.com John Betts - Brobst Violin Shop Web.. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, . Ingles & Hayday would like to send you information about our events and services, by post, telephone and email. He drilled holes for the upper and lower lobes and then connected them rather than working from a stencil type of pattern. A very successful employee, Betts assumed the role of shop foreman . The shop thrived for another 20 years before finally closing in 1867, having firmly linked the family name with some of the worlds greatest instruments. , 1803Viola, John Betts To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. John Betts cello, London circa 1810 | Johnson String Instrument Article. In 1781 he was established there independently and in the following year he moved to the Royal Exchange, where he remained for the rest of his career. Part of that status comes from the circumstances of its acquisition. Please contact: Performing Arts Reading Room. John Betts was born in Stamford, England, in 1752. He was a pupil of Richard Duke, and, in the few instruments made by himself, showed that he had imbibed much of Duke's lore. Please contact us for more information. It was given the the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, along with several other Cremonese masterpieces, by the last owner, Mrs. Gertrude Clarke Whittall in the mid 1930's, and remains there today. The oevure of John Betts began with his training under Richard Duke, one of the most highly esteemed English luthiers of the 18thcentury who passed his craft along to only three students: his son Richard Duke Jr., John Betts, and Betts nephew Edward Betts, who later worked at his uncles workshop; together they carried on Dukes great artisanal legacy within their own family tradition. After the death of Betts' son, the violin was sold to WE Hill, and eventually to Whittall's, before ending up at the Library of Congress, where it is displayed in the performing arts reading room. We use this information to help choose the woods used and to guide us in the making of accurate copies. John Waddle has assembled the violin, varnished it and set it up. He died in 1823, leaving the business to his younger brother Arthur, who learned the craft from him. His own workmanship was replaced by the efforts of his many employees after Read more. London, c.1785. In London, he apprenticed as a luthier with Richard Duke, one of the city's most notable violinmakers of the 18th century. violins@hebberts.com, Laurent Bourlier (III), Mirecourt, c.1820. photograph | 19 photographs : color | Photograph (Form). After having been painstakingly set up and made ready to play by the expert luthiers at our workshop, our professional violinist played it and was delighted by the rich timbre, radiance and maturity of its powerful warm voice and in recording the audio samples for this violin, he was able to bring the distinctive character of its voice to life. Article. For auction updates, special offers and news please sign up to our mailing list. We use the digital information from the CT scans to make STL (stereolithography) files to directly transfer the carving of Stradivari's original archings into new tops and backs, and to directly transfer the shapes of Stradivari's original necks, and scrolls, using a CNC machine made and operated by Steve Rossow.