John (I) Betts

BETTS, John (I) Born 1752 Stamford, died 1823 London UK. Apprenticed to Richard Duke in 1765, subsequently buying the business from Duke’s daughter Anne. In 1781 he was established independently in Holborn, moving to Royal Exchange in 1782. He employed G. Gillingham, Edward Betts and John Carter, then Vincenzo Panormo, Joseph and Henry Lockey Hill, Richard Tobin, Bernard Fendt (father and son), John Furber, and a minor maker named Isaac Newton. Betts himself became Official Valuer of violins to the Customs office. While these craftsmen produced a very important body of work, particularly the cellos which have become highly sought-after, Betts’ greatest importance was as an expert and entrepreneur, responsible for making London a major centre of violin making activity in the 19th century. Often signed internally on front. Branded below the back button: Betts / Royal Exchange / London. Printed label: Jo. Betts, No. 2 / near Northgate the / RoyalExchange London, 1789 John Betts, No. 2 North Piazza / Royal Exchange, London, fecit / January 9. 1782 [BVMA]

He was universally known as ” Old John Betts,” and was well respected and patronised. 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. The workmanship and varnish have much the same characteristics — the latter being, as a rule, of a tint which is a shade warmer than the varnish of Duke. 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. My great-grandfather ordered a violoncello of Betts in the year 1780, to be made by Betts himself. This instrument is now in my possession, and in excellent condition, having been recently repaired by Mr. J. W. Owen of Leeds. It is of the Amati model, plain wood, golden-brown varnish, with rather wide sound-holes. The tone is moderately powerful, and very sweet and mellow. The workmanship is solid and sober, without being refined and artistic like the work of Betts’ master. Betts was one of the first in this country to do extensive business in Italian instruments, and a large number of fine violins found their way into this country in his time. He used two or three different labels. The one inserted into the violoncello just referred to reads : —

JOHN BETTS, NO, 2, NORTH PIAZZA, ROYAL EXCHANGE, LONDINI, FECIT, JANUARY 9, 1782

the last line being written. The words “Jo. Betts, No. 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.

Known as “Old John Betts,” b. 1755, at Stamford, Lincolnshire; d. March, 1823, was buried at Cripplegate Church. Pupil of Richard Duke, senior, in London. He made few instruments; the sound-holes are rather wide, the purfling broad, and the scrolls well cut; but he had great knowledge of Italian instruments.
Clever workmen, such as the Panormos, Bernhard Fendt, his nephew Edward, and John Carter were employed by him, principally to copy old English and Italian instruments.
He advertised that he “makes in the neatest manner, violins the patterns of Ant. Stradivarius, Hieronymus Amatus, Jacobus Stainer, and Tyrols. Equal for the fine, full, mellow tone to those made in Cremona.”

Schüler des älteren R. Duke. Er stammte aus Stamford, Lincolnshire und
war weniger hervorragend als Geigenmacher wie als Händler und Kenner. Die
Geigen, die seinen Namen tragen, sind sehr verschieden, was daher kommt, dass
Carter, sein Neffe Betts, B. Fendt und seine Söhne,
Panormo etc. für ihn arbeiteten. Er liess u. A. treffliche
Copien nach den Cremoneser Meistern herstellen.
Sein Geschäftsnachfolger war sein Bruder Arthur B.,
der Violinlehrer gewesen war.