THE REPAIRING & RESTORATION OF VIOLINS.

HORACE PETHERICK.

"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. XII.

THE

REPAIRING & RESTORATION

VIOLINS.

HORACE PETHERICK.

ILLUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.—Introductory

CHAPTER II.—Slight Accidents—Modern Restorers—"Chattering"—The Proper Sort of Glue—Its Preparation and Use

CHAPTER III.—Minor Repairs—Cramps and Joints—Violin Cases—Rattles and Jars—Loose Fingerboards—Atmospheric Temperature—Old-Fashioned Methods of Repairing—Modern Ways—A Loose Nut

CHAPTER IV.—Injuries to the Head or Scroll—Insertion of Fresh Wood—Colouring of White Wood—Separation of Head from Peg-box and Re-joining—Stopping Material for Small Holes or Fractures—The Peg-box Cracked by Pressure

CHAPTER V.—Fracture of Peg-box and Shell—Chips from this Part—Filling up of Same—Restoration to Original Form, after Parts have been Lost—Worn Peg-holes, Re-filling or Boring Same

CHAPTER VI.—Loosening of Junction of Graft with Peg-box, and Refixing Same—Grafting, Different Methods of Performing this—Lengthening the Neck—Old and Modern Method—Renewal of Same—Inclination of Neck and Fingerboard with Regard to the Bridge—Height of Latter, and Reason for It

CHAPTER VII.—Finishing the Fingerboard—Fixing the Nut—Size and Position of Grooves for the Strings—Filing Down the Graft—Smoothing, Colouring, and Varnishing Same

CHAPTER VIII.—Injuries that can be Repaired from the Outside—Insertion of Fresh Wood in Fracture of the Ribs—The Effects of Climate on the Glue in Violins

CHAPTER IX.—The Glue Used by the Early Italian Makers—Insertion of Pieces of Wood for Repairing Lost Parts—Replacing Lost Rib and Repairing Interior without Opening when Possible—Securing Loose Lower Rib to End Block—Different Methods—Treatment of Worm-holes—Fixing on Graft on Neck

CHAPTER X.—Ways of Removing the Upper Table and the Neck—Cleansing the Interior—Preservation of the Original Label—Closing of Cracks in Upper Table

CHAPTER XI.—Getting Parts Together that apparently do not Fit—The use of Benzine or Turpentine—Treatment of Warped or Twisted Lower Tables

CHAPTER XII.—Removal of Old Superfluous Glue by Damping—Replacing Old End Blocks by New Ones—Temporary Beams and Joists Inside for Keeping Ribs, etc., in Position while Freshly Glued

CHAPTER XIII.—Re-opening the Back to Correct the Badly Repaired Joint—A Few Words on Studs—Filling Up Spaces left by Lost Splinters—Matching Wood for Large Cracks, etc.

CHAPTER XIV.—Repairing Lost Portions—Margins of Sound Holes—Matching the Grain—Fixing and Finishing Off—Replacing with Fresh Wood Large Portions of Upper Table—Lost Parts of Purfling—Restoring It with Old Stuff

CHAPTER XV.—Repairs to Purfling (continued)—Filling up an Opening Extending to the Whole Length of the Violin—Fitting the Core—Fixing it in Position and Retaining it There—Finishing the Surface

CHAPTER XVI.—Repairing Undertaken by People in Business not connected with that of Bowed Instruments—Removal of a Fixed Sound Post—Fitting a Fresh Part of Worm-Eaten Rib—Bringing Together the Loosened Joint of the Back Without Opening the Violin

CHAPTER XVII.—Insertion of Studs along the Joint Inside without Opening the Violin—Lining or Veneering a Thin Back

CHAPTER XVIII.—The Bar in Olden Times—The Modern One—The Operation of Fitting and Fixing