Edinburgh School
John Macintosh
Edinburgh, worked 1924
John Macintosh (b. 1853) was a Scottish gentleman amateur violin maker, born in Strath Cottage, Galston/Newmilnes, and active in Edinburgh around 1924. He was known for his experimental approach to violin construction and for decorating his instruments with oil paintings. A notable work includes a violin made from Mauchline Castle oak, now housed in the Burns Memorial Museum. He also specialized in J. B. Guadagnini copies and used varnish, though sources conflict on its specific origin (Whitelaw's or F. S. Angell's). Macintosh was also a published poet and writer on antiquity.
Maker Overview
Life
John Macintosh (b. 1853) was born in 1853 at Strath Cottage, located midway between Galston and Newmilnes, Scotland, areas that later became known for the lace curtain industry.
Characteristics
- Instrument Making
- John Macintosh produced several violins of the orthodox type.
- Experimentation
- He extensively experimented to understand the relationship between form and sound in violins.
- Decoration
- Some of his violins feature intricate decorations on the back, including portraits of celebrities and landscape sceneries rendered in oil colours.
- Notable Instruments
- One unique violin was crafted entirely from oak sourced from the roof of the old castle at Mauchline, believed to be the house where Robert Burns married his "Bonnie Jean." This instrument was later presented to and accepted by the Burns Memorial Museum at Mauchline as a significant relic. Another violin bears a portrait of Sir Walter Scott and includes a ditty inscribed on its interior back: "Hey diddle, diddle, Who made this fiddle? I know, I know, Hey diddle, diddle, here is the riddle — Where did the wood of this fiddle grow?" A decorated violin named "Sir Lewis Morris," made on original lines, is noted for its large, round, and fluid tone.
- Specialization
- specialized in crafting copies of instruments by J. B. Guadagnini.
- Varnish
- Sources contain conflicting information regarding the varnish used by Macintosh. William Meredith Morris states he used Whitelaw's varnish, predominantly in a dark amber colour, while John Dilworth notes he used commercial varnish made by F. S. Angell of Bristol.
Influence and legacy
- Museum Collection: A violin crafted by John Macintosh from oak sourced from Mauchline Castle was presented to and accepted by the Burns Memorial Museum, recognizing its historical and cultural significance.
- Literary Works: He published one or two volumes of poetry, in addition to writing extensively on antiquity and related subjects.
Biographies
The overview above is drawn from the following published accounts. Read them in the original:
John Dilworth+
McINTOSH, John Worked circa. 1924 Edinburgh, Scotland UK. Amateur maker; used commercial varnish made by F. S. Angell of Bristol. Specialised in J. B. Guadagnini copies.
William Meredith Morris+
He was born where he now lives, at Strath Cottage, midway between Galston and Newmilnes — places now become famous as the centres of the lace curtain industry of Scotland — in the year 1853. With an inborn predilection for the fine arts in general, and for music in particular, his attention became at a very early age centred on the violin, and he learned first to love its rich and melodious tones by hearing it performed upon by a relative, who was a good player of Scottish reels and strathspeys. Mr. Macintosh is a gentleman amateur, and makes only from love of the instrument. He has made several violins of the orthodox type, but he also has experimented largely with the view of discovering the relation between form and sound. Some of his violins are decorated on the back with portraits of celebrities and landscape sceneries in oil colours. One of these is made throughout of oak which was taken from ,the roof of the old castle at Mauchline, said to be the house wherein Robert Burns was married to his ” Bonnie Jean.” When the Burns Memorial Museum at Mauchline was opened, the violin was presented to the promoters and gladly accepted by them as a relic worthy of a place in an institution founded in honour of the immortal poet. Another bears the portrait of Sir Walter Scott, and has the following ditty inscribed on the back inside : —
“Hey diddle, diddle, Who made this fiddle ? I know, I know, Hey diddle, diddle, here is the riddle — Where did the wood of this fiddle grow ? ”
“Sir Lewis Morris,” a decorated violin, made on original lines, has a large, round, and fluid tone. He uses Whitelaw’s varnish, mostly in dark amber colour. In addition to violin-making, Mr. Macintosh writes much on antiquity and kindred subjects, and he has published one or two volumes of poetry.
Willibald Leo Lütgendorff+
Schüler von Thomas Perry und Nachfolger von Perry & Wilkinson. Er war hauptsächlich Händler.
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