John Alexander Mann

Forfar, 1810–1889

John Alexander Mann (1810-1889) was a Scottish violin maker, dealer, and repairer who established his workshop in Glasgow around 1845. Initially trained in art and later working as a theater machinist, he developed a mastery in violin making, earning a reputation among the best Scottish makers. He was known for imitating the Stradivari model and using a good, dark yellow oil varnish. While he had an assistant from Mirecourt and traveled to France annually, many instruments bearing his labels were likely imported from Thibouville-Lamy. He operated from several prominent addresses in Glasgow throughout his career. Sources contain conflicting information regarding the extent of his friendship and interaction with J. B. Vuillaume.

Worked Forfar

Maker Overview

Life

John Alexander Mann (1810-1889) was born in Forfar in 1810. In his youth, he displayed a particular talent for portrait painting, which led to him being sent to the art academy in Edinburgh. However, he found the studies unappealing and abandoned them, initially becoming a theater machinist. Around 1845, he established himself in Glasgow as a violin maker. Due to his exceptional aptitude for various artistic skills, he eventually achieved mastery in violin making, placing him among the best Scottish violin makers. John Alexander Mann was active in Glasgow from 1845 as a maker, dealer, and repairer. William Meredith Morris describes Mann as a remarkable and unique individual, particularly at ease with curious machines and mechanical intricacies. For many years, he served as the right-hand man to the conjurer J. H. Anderson, known as "The Wizard of the North." Morris also mentions his mystical proclivities and love of the occult.

Characteristics

Model: John Alexander Mann imitated the Stradivari model.
Varnish: He used a good, dark yellow oil varnish.
Origin of Instruments: Many of his violins appear as if they were pre-worked in France. John Dilworth states that most instruments bearing his labels seem to have been imported from Thibouville-Lamy in France, sometimes showing slight modifications.
Assistants & Travel: He employed an assistant named Lamy from Mirecourt and traveled to France annually for purchases.
Labels: Examples of his labels include "Original Strad Copy / fait par John A. Mann 1865," "Fait par John A. Mann / Glasgow 1885," and "Rétabli Soigneusement / par J. A. Mann Glasw. 1877."
Critique: William Meredith Morris found the instruments he saw attributed to Mann to be "beautifully made, but timid and tame," suggesting they lacked a distinctive character or "genius."

Recorded labels

Original Strad Copy
fait par John A. Mann 1865John Dilworth
Fait par John A. Mann
Glasgow 1885John Dilworth
Rétabli Soigneusement
par J. A. Mann Glasw. 1877John Dilworth

Influence and legacy

Mentorship & Friendship: Lütgendorff notes that John Alexander Mann cultivated a warm friendship with J. B. Vuillaume during his annual trips to France. However, William Meredith Morris expresses regret that careful investigation led him to doubt the correctness of many tales concerning the intercourse between Mann and Vuillaume, preferring to disregard them.
Workshop Collaborators: Several local makers, including Archibald Morrison, worked for him.

Found an error? Report Now

Biographies

The overview above is drawn from the following published accounts. Read them in the original:

John Dilworth+

MANN, John Alexander Born 1810 Forfar, Worked from 1845, died 1889 Glasgow, Scotland UK. Maker dealer and repairer, active in Glasgow from 1845. Most of the instruments bearing his labels appear to be imported from Thibouville-Lamy in France, some showing slight modifications. Several local makers worked for him including Archibald Morrison, and he occupied prominent premises at 21 Argyle Street c.1863, 15 Bath Street from 1873, 3 Sauchiehall Street from 1883, and finally 11 Miller Street. Original Strad Copy / fait par John A. Mann 1865 Fait par John A. Mann / Glasgow 1885 Rétabli Soigneusement / par J. A. Mann Glasw. 1877

William Meredith Morris+

Mann was a remarkable person in many respects, and in some unique. He was never more at home than when amongst curious machines, nor more at ease than when evolving mechanical intricacies. He was for many years the right-hand man of the conjurer, J. H. Anderson — “The Wizard of the North.” His mystical proclivities and love of the occult followed him to the atelier, if we are to believe the apocryphal revelations of a well-known author. I regret that careful investigation has led me to doubt the correctness of many of the tales anent the intercourse between him and Vuillaume, and I prefer to leave these, however idyllic their character, severely alone.

The fewer instruments attributed to Mann which I have had the fortune to see were not calculated to rouse the connoisseur into ecstatic utterance. They were beautifully made, but timid and tame. They reminded one of Sir Joshua Reynolds’ criticism of a picture. The great painter was standing before a painting by another celebrated artist one day, and on being asked his opinion of the work, replied : ” It wants — it wants — d-n me ! it wants that.” Nothing aggravates the connoisseur like frigid monotony. No genius in the poetical world ever reached the summit of Parnassus by a path previously made, and no two great violin-makers ever walk exactly the same road.

Willibald Leo Lütgendorff+

Da er in seiner Jugend ein besonderes Talent zum Bildnissmaler verrieth,
sandte man ihn nach Edinburgh auf die Kunstakademie. Das Studium sagte ihm
aber nicht zu, deshalb gab er es wieder auf und ward zuerst Theater-Maschinist.
Um 1845 liess er sich in Glasgow als Geigenmacher nieder, und weil er ein zu
allen Kunstfertigkeiten besonders begabter Mann war, erreichte er mit der Zeit
eine Meisterschaft im Geigenmachen, sodass er den besten schottischen Geigenmachern
an die Seite zu stellen ist. Er ahmte das Stradivari-Modell nach und
hatte einen guten, dunkelgelben Öllack. Manche seiner Geigen sehen allerdings
aus, als waren sie in Frankreich vorgearbeitet; thatsachlich hatte er auch
einen Gehilfen aus Mirecourt, Namens Lamy, und fuhr jährlich ein Mal nach
Frankreich, um Einkäufe zu machen. Bei dieser Gelegenheit knüpfte er auch
eine warme Freundschaft mit J. B. Vuillaume an.