Henry (II) Jay

John Dilworth

JAY, Henry (II) Worked circa. 1740-1776 London UK. No known connection with the earlier Henry Jaye. Probably a pupil of Peter Wamsley. Established independently in Long Acre, Covent Garden from 1740 and in Windmill Street, Piccadilly from c.1766. Typical London trade work of the period using a high arched Stainer model. Fine craftsmanship, occasionally with a good red-brown varnish, mostly with a thin brittle dark golden-brown recipe. Made a large number of dancing master’s pochettes or kits. Much of his work was sold through Longman & Co., later Longman Lukey & Co., and Longman & Broderip, whose various brands are found beneath the back button. Sometimes signed under the fingerboard beneath the varnish: ‘H. Jay’. Made by Henry Jay / in Long Acre, 1742 Made by Henry Jay / in Windmill Street / near Piccadilly; London. 1768

William Meredith Morris

A maker of “Kits” chiefly. The workmanship is very neat, and the varnish of good quality. The tone of one of these ” Kits” which I saw a few years since was clear and sweet. Jay is said to have received £5 for each ” Kit ” that he sold — a sum which is equivalent to nearly £10 to-day. This is hardly credible, seeing that Banks and Duke got only £6 for their best violins.

Jay made many violoncellos for Longman and Broderip.

The label in the ” Kit ” which I saw and tried read : —

MADE BY HENRY JAY, INSTRUMENT MAKER, IN LONG ACRE, LONDON, 1750

Cecie Stainer

Worked in London about 1746-68. He was best known for the small violins or ” kits ” that he made, which were used by dancing-masters ; the varnish was a red-brown colour, the work was neatly finished, and he received £5 for each one—a very large sum for those days.
He also made some violoncellos, often signed on the back ” Longman and Broderip.” Two labels are known : ” Made by Henry Jay in Long Acre, London, 1746,” and ” Made by Henry Jay in Windmill Street, near Piccadilly, London, 1768.” He is supposed to have been related to Thomas Jay.

Willibald Leo Lütgendorff

Wahrscheinlich der Sohn von Thomas Jay. Zeichnet sich durch saubere
Arbeit und guten röthlich-braunen Lack aus. Er arbeitete gut nach italienischen
Mustern, oft für die Firma Longman & Broderip, und war besonders durch seine
guten Taschengeigen bekannt, die schon zu seinen Lebzeiten hoch im Preise
standen. Seine Zettel sind, soweit bis jetzt bekannt ist, nur geschrieben.