John Johnson

JOHNSON, John b. c.1719, Worked circa. 1740-1762 Cheapside, London UK. Apprenticed to Daniel Wright from 1732, and succeeded to his business 1740. Moved his stock to new workshops at the ‘Harp and Crown’ in Cheapside, and opened additional premises in York Street, Covent Garden. His shop continued after his death managed by his widow Ruth. Like many 18th century English makers Johnson ran an extensive music shop, offering all instruments and accessories, as well as publishing music himself. Employed craftsmen in the shop, probably including David Furber amongst others. Violins are typical London work on Stainer model; full arch and dark brown varnish, though well executed and with fine materials. Often with painted purfling. Signed internally on the top plate in pencil. Sold by John Johnson / Cheapside / London Made and sold by John Johnson / at the \Harp and Crown\ in Cheapside / 17 London 53

The Violins bearing his label are dated from Cheapside. Johnson was a Music and Musical Instrument seller. In ” The Professional Life of Dibdin,” written by himself, we have the following reference to this City music seller : ” My brother introduced me to old Johnson, who at that time kept a capital music-shop in Cheapside. I soon, however, grew tired of an attendance on him. He set me down to tune Harpsichords, a mere mechanical employment, not at all to my taste.” “I saw plainly that I might have screwed up Harpsichords in old Johnson’s shop to all eternity, without advancing my fortune; and as to the songs and sonatas that I brought him for sale, they had not been performed at the theatres nor Vauxhall, nor any other place, and Johnson would not print them.” ” The Thompsons, however, of St. Paul’s Churchyard, published six ballads for me, which sold at three-halfpence a-piece, and for the copyright of which they generously gave me three guineas.” Though we may not feel disposed to apply the term generous to a payment of half-a-guinea for a Dibdin ballad, yet in all probability we are indebted to the Thompsons for this particular recognition of merit. Happily true genius, when in straits, generally finds relief. Were it otherwise, and had the Thompsons been as deaf to Dibdin as John Johnson appears to have been, ” Tom Bowling,” ” Poor Jack,” and many other compositions of sterling merit, might never have been written.

Average work, on the Stainer model. The tone, although not large, is clear and penetrating. A very high-arched violin, with thin, dry, yellow varnish bore the following label : —

MADE BY JOHN JOHNSON. CHEAPSIDE, 17 LONDON 55

A maker in London, 1750-60. He followed the Stainer pattern. Two labels, one undated: ” Sold by John Johnson, Cheapside, London”; the other, ” Made and sold by John Johnson at the ‘ Harp and Crown ‘ in Cheapside, 17 London, 53 ” ; a similar label was dated 1759.

Die wenigen bekannt gewordenen Geigen von ihm sind dem Stainermodell
nachgeahmt und haben manche schätzenswerthe Eigenschaft.