Thanks very much to everybody's remarks on my last posting.
Stuart, I too think that both those dates (1734, 1743) are too early; even
ca.1765 for the J.N. Preston's with a key-box seems a bit earlyish ... but I
don't know what their reason is for such attribution, it's up to them.
Working out dates for the watch-key mechanisms is certainly even more
tricky, unless of course the instrument is precisely dated as is the case
with Hoffmann's (and, possibly, Liessen's). One way, I suppose, would be to
analyze the exact composition of metals used, i.e. for the brass (outside
fittings) and iron (threads). There must be somewhere some sort of database
for historic metals (like that huge depository of all brick types ever used
in buildings in the UK); clock people would certainly know more about this.
Hoffmann's watch-key tuners certainly look more 'rustic' than those of
Preston's which are more of 'production-line' type.
---
Brad, I must confess that I've never been deeply interested in EG, so I'm
not really an expert here. Over the last ten years I did some minor and
major repair work to a good dozen or so of EGs (among them several
Prestons). Prestons are nicely made (as regards their place in the history,
anyway), some for a more others for a less discerning customer, again with a
more 'factory-like' approach. For example, the wood (both on the back and
soundboard) is often stained before it was varnished - a clear sign to
achieve quick finishing job. On the Hoffmann,on the other side, the varnish
is of much better quality (transparent but intensive in colour at the same
time) which makes you think of more like violin maker's work (I actually
suspect that he was a violin maker in the first place). However, you
shouldn't take this judgement of my for granted, this is only my strictly
personal opinion.
I'm not a dealer so I've no idea where to find EG best in the UK but they do
pop up from time to time on small and not so small auctions here (I know
about this from a friend of my who sometimes has an odd one for sale).
---
Gregory, well at least we moved a little bit ...
---
Alexander
----- Original Message -----
From: "Stuart Walsh" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Alexander Batov" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>;
<[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 03, 2007 8:09 PM
Subject: Re: [CITTERN] Re: Preston tuner history
Alexander Batov wrote:
I doubt the instrument under question has been discussed in the light of
this particular thread (i.e. 'Preston tuner history') but never mind,
Stuart knows best ... I virtually took this instrument all apart after
Taro acquired it from Art Robb, so it was quite an experience.
Alexander,
I just said that this instrument has been discussed before! Not that there
was nothing more to be said.
David Kilpatrick used to contribute to this list. He made a contribution
to my webpage about a cittern in Poland. If you scroll down to the
'Comments', his is the third and he has some remarks in the third
paragraph.
http://tuningsinthirds.com/Zacher/
I think David discussed this on the cittern list. Both dates seem
improbably early. How old would Preston have been!? I think he was
talking about this site:
http://www.usd.edu/smm/pressler4.html
but I can't see anything about dates for the watchkey mechanism.
Stuart
Perhaps not many on this list have got this book: European Stringed
Instruments (Catalogue, Part 3) by Elizabeth Wells and Christopher Nobbs,
Royal College of Music, London 2007
I was looking for something else in it but came across this on p.97:
(quote) John Preston (d. 1798) also made Spanish guitars and violins, and
established a flourishing business firm (Preston and Son, after his son
Thomas joined in 1789). Preston claimed the invention of the watch-key
tuning mechanism in an advertisement of 1778 (Humphries and Smith,
p.263); no patent is recorded and surviving dated instruments by other
makers such as Rauche (see RCM 333) show that watch-key tuning was in the
use in the 1760s; it is likely that Preston was using it then too. (end
of quote)
Well, now we know that the watch-key tuning mechanism was in the use in
the 1750s. So what did 'Preston Inventor' invent still remains to be
answered.
Alexander
----- Original Message -----
From: Brad McEwen To: Alexander Batov ; cittern list Sent: Monday,
December 03, 2007 1:15 AM
Subject: Re: [CITTERN] Re: Preston tuner history
Well, I certainly haven't had sufficient information on this and have
been looking froward to hearing more.
Brad
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