Gustav Adolph Wettengel
1800–1873
Gustav Adolph WETTENGEL (1800-1873) was a notable German violin and bow maker, born in Neukirchen and active in Dresden. He is particularly recognized for his comprehensive theoretical and practical treatises on violin making, including Vollständiges, theoretisch-practisches auf Grundsätze der Akustik, Tonkunst und Mathematik (1828) and Lehrbuch der Geigen-und Bogenmacherkunst (1869). He also established a string making business in Dresden, and his legacy continued through his son and grandsons, who were also instrument makers and educators.
Maker Overview
Life
Gustav Adolph WETTENGEL (1800-1873) was born in Neukirchen in 1800 and died in Dresden, Germany, in 1873. He was a violin and bow maker., he founded a string making business in Dresden. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff notes that he was originally a violin maker but focused exclusively on bow making early in his career and also owned a string factory.
Characteristics
- Craft
- Gustav Adolph Wettengel was a violin and bow maker.
- Business Ventures
- He founded a string making business in Dresden and, also owned a string factory.
Influence and legacy
- Education and Scholarship: He possessed a good education that enabled him to publish comprehensive treatises for violin makers, which, were considered the best of their kind for a long time and still hold value today.
- Publications: His most important publications include Vollständiges, theoretisch-practisches auf Grundsätze der Akustik, Tonkunst und Mathematik (Voigt, 1828) and Lehrbuch der Geigen-und Bogenmacherkunst (Voigt, 1869).
- Family Continuity: His work was continued by his son, Georg Victor Emanuel (1830-1898), and his grandsons, Emil (1864-1915) and Georg (born 1855, died after 1912). Both grandsons were prolific makers of plucked instruments and served as tutors at the Markneukirchen School of Violin Making.
Biographies
The overview above is drawn from the following published accounts. Read them in the original:
John Dilworth+
WETTENGEL, Gustav Adolph Born 1800 Neukirchen, died 1873 Dresden Germany. Violin and bow maker. Founded a string making business in Dresden. Most important for his publications: Vollständiges, theoretisch-praktisches auf Grundsätze der Akustik, Tonkunst und Mathematik (Theoretical and practical introduction to violin and bow making) (Voigt, 1828) and Lehrbuch der Geigen-und Bogenmacherkunst (Handbook of violin and bow making) (Voigt, 1869). Followed by his son Georg Victor Emanuel (1830-1898), and grandsons Emil (1864-1915) and Georg (Born 1855, d. after 1912), both prolific makers of plucked instruments and tutors at the Markneukirchen School of Violin Making.
Cecie Stainer+
A maker in Neukirchen, Saxony, about 1828. He wrote an excellent practical treatise on violin making, entitled’ “Vollstandiges, theoretisch-practisches auf Grundsatze der Akustik, Tonkunst und Mathematik und auf die Erfah rungen der geschicktesten italienischen und deutschen Meister begrundetes Lehrbuch der Anfertigung und Reparatur aller noch jetzt gebrauchlichen Gattungen von italienischen und deutschen Geigen” (Ilmenau, 1828).
Willibald Leo Lütgendorff+
Von Hause aus war er Geigenmacher und hatte eine gute Schulbildung genossen, die ihn befähigte, ein umfassendes Lehrbuch für Geigenmacher herauszugeben, das lange als das beste in seiner Art gelten durfte und heute noch Werth hat. Er verlegte sich jedoch schon frühzeitig ausschliesslich auf das Bogenmachen und soll auch eine Saitenfabrik besessen haben.
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