Frederick William Channon

CHANNON, Frederick William Born 1862 Totnes, died 1946 Weybridge UK. Apprenticed as a cabinet maker in Devonport. Established as a violin maker in Plymouth from 1897. Moved to London in 1913 and established briefly in Wells Street before moving again to Byfleet, Essex, and finally Weybridge, Surrey. Won various medals and awards for tone quality and workmanship. Copied particular Stradivari instruments, occasionally Guarneri. Own varnish of resin, dragon’s blood, gamboge, turpentine, and boiled linseed oil. One of the best English makers of the early 20th century. Made by Fred. W. Channon / No.18 Plymouth Made by 1893 / Fred. W. Channon / No. 1 Devonport

He works at Portland House, Portland Place, and was born at Totnes in 1862. He was apprenticed early in life to the cabinet- making trade, and made such rapid progress that, at the age of twenty, he became foreman of one of the largest cabinet shops in Devonport, where he had about thirty men and apprentices under him. At the age of twenty-five he commenced business on his own account, and he was appointed at the same time technical instructor for two classes in carpentry and carving in a local district.

About 1887 he formed the acquaintance of the well-known connoisseur, the late Mr. Francis Codd, and a warm friendship sprung up between them. This resulted in a mutual desire to fashion a fiddle, so Codd imparted to Channon the lore of the art, and Channon initiated Codd into the mysteries of keen-edged tools. Good results were bound to follow genuine enthusiasm of this sort. Channon from a boy had a strong predilection for art and craft. In his early days he exhibited several specimens of fine art cabinet work, and he never failed to secure the highest award.

He has made several violins and a few violas, but unfortunately his time is mostly taken up with repairs. His outline is almost identical with that of the Tuscan Strad, and his arching combines the lines of Strad and Joseph. The principal measurements are : —

Length … 14 1/8ins,Width across upper bouts … 5 5/8ins,Width across middle bouts … 4 3/8ins,Width across lower bouts … 8 1/4ins,Length of sound-holes … 3 1/16ins,Length of C’s … 3 1/8ins,Depth of ribs at bottom … 1 1/4ins,Depth of ribs at top … 1 3/16ins,

The thickness of the back is 3/16, diminishing to 1/8ins, and the belly is an 1/8 all over. The ensemble shows breadth of intellectual view. The scroll is beautifully carved, and may be described as ” correct and compact.” Perhaps the boss of the volute is not brought out to the same piquant prominence as in the work of Stradivari. The corners are sweet and sober — totally different from the average modern copy, which affects Amatise protrusiveness, without possessing Amatise compensating curves. There was much solidity of feeling, and withal gracefulness of expression in the quaint and quiet corners of old Maggini. When Stradivari waked Maggini’s corners from their slumber, he did all that true art dare do. Many of his imitators have added two pairs of miniature wings to their productions, and their instruments look like flying odonatas.

Herein lies the difference between the artist and the copyist. The artist takes hold of any crucial point and is able to modify without “mythifying” it. The mere copyist is the “myth-maker ” — a would-be reconciler of contradictories.

Mr. Channon’s sound-holes are beautiful conceptions and show the luthier-poet in every line. The margins are full and the edges strong. The latter are not so rounded as is usual in the best work of the modern British school, but they are, nevertheless, very pretty. The wood is of the orthodox kind, and of excellent quality.

The tone is grand and grave, and has something of the inimitable tone of Maggini about it. Nothing can be more divine than the broad, dreamy, weeping, and withal sweet tones of the Brescian maestro. The notes drop off the strings like tears trickling down the beard of a weeping god. No virtue ought to be more commended in a modern maker than the passion for combining the sweetness of Amati with the plaintiveness of Maggini.