John Morrison, Bermondsey, c.1785

Description

An English violin by John Morrison for Thomas Cahusac, 1780-1790 period.
Labelled: No label.

Thomas Cahusac was one of the most prolific musical entrepreneurs of late eighteenth-century London. From his warehouse at the sign of the “Two Flutes & Violin” opposite St Clement Dane’s Church in the Strand prior to 1785 (afterwards 196 Strand, close to what is now the Savoy Hotel) he was involved in an enormous amount of music publishing as well as selling all kinds of musical instruments. He is a much better known name for flutes and clarinets of the time. Keyboard instruments and guitars also bear his name. Therefore it is very unlikely that he made instruments at all, let alone violins. To compound this, some better violins appear with his label or stamp on them that can be identified as the work of Benjamin Banks. The famous Salisbury maker was certainly involved heavily within Cahusac’s circle for his daughter married Cahusac’s son.

This violin is not at that end of the spectrum, but it is of a certain type which more than often bears Cahusac’s label. The thin red varnish imitates – at least in colour – the more auspicious instruments made by Banks or by his neighbour, William Forster, and as with the majority of his instruments and publications his instruments were made towards the lower end of the eighteenth century market without the need to compete with the established trade in finer instruments that existed on his doorstep. The varnish is a thin shellac spirit varnish and since the violins were made in haste, there is very little edge to protect the painted purfling which has all but worn off. Identical violins also exist with labels of other violin dealers, for example Charles & Samuel Thompson, but with a brown varnish instead, so it seems as if it was a mark of Cahusac’s retailing that his instruments should be red.

We have now seen several instruments of this particular hand that identify as the work of John Morrison. This is a fairly difficult maker to understand as there appears to be two makers of the same name working almost concurrently. One John Morrison, seems to have generally made to this kind of model and quality, and the second worked for William Forster before setting up on the Strand and producing instruments that are superficially indistinguishable from his former master. This is the earlier Morrison, and whilst we have yet to find conclusive evidence to separate the two names, in terms of instruments there is a very clear division.

The violin is of a slightly pinched Amati model is reminiscent of both Benjamin Banks and Forster. The broad grained soft spruce that is so typical of a range of eighteenth century British violins looks uninviting, but has a tendency to be very successful tonally, enabling the violin to punch well above its weight.

Overall this is a very lovely Eighteenth-century English violin, and except for the gentle wear of the varnish that has washed away the purfling – much to its charm, it is in overall very fine condition. Cahusac violins are surprisingly rare, and this offers a lovely piece of history and a very sweet and direct sound at a reasonable price.

Certificate: Our certificate available upon purchase.

Condition notes: The violin is in a good state of preservation. Length of back 354mm.