CONTRERAS, José.—Madrid; eighteenth century. Little known in this country. Instruments frequently handsome, and work Italian in character. A good many seem to have been re-labelled with the tickets of better known Italian makers.
CORSBY, George.—London; nineteenth century. A well-known dealer in Prince’s Street, Leicester Square. Seems to have been himself a workman, but employed others to make instruments for him. Another Corsby of Northampton made some good double-basses.
COUTURIEUX, N.—Toulon; about 1840. Made useful instruments of flat pattern. Branded inside with initials “N. C.”
CRASKE, George.—Born 1795, died, Stockport, in 1888. Worked in Bath, Leeds, Sheffield, Birmingham, Manchester, and elsewhere. Made a huge number of instruments of varying patterns, but readily identifiable after seeing a few examples. Work sometimes good, but more frequently only passable or indifferent. Tone not usually of good quality.
CRISTOFORI, Bartolommeo.—Florence; seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Pupil of Niccolò Amati. Instruments very scarce, but some fine violoncellos, and at least one double-bass, are known. Is with some probability identified with Cristorfori who is usually accounted the inventor of the pianoforte.
CROSS, Nathaniel.—London; to about 1745-50. Some well-made violins and basses exist, which exhibit a pattern and characteristics of German style. Yellow varnish. He was associated with Barak Norman (q.v.).
CUYPERS, Jan.—The Hague. Born 1723-24, died about 1810-12. In several violins of late date he states his age, which in 1806 was 82. Instruments have risen rapidly in value of late years. They are soundly made, of good wood, and with yellow varnish of good quality. Pattern, shape of sound holes, and outline vary considerably. Scrolls heavy and boldly cut, but not handsome. The name is met with in books on the violin with the spelling “Koeuppers,” presumably copied from labels. Writer has not seen such.
DALINGER, Sebastian.—Vienna; latter half of eighteenth century. Stainer pattern, dark varnish. Some examples have lion heads.
DALLA COSTA, Pietro Antonio.—Treviso; about 1740 and later. Prints his name as “a Costa” in some of his tickets. Genuine instruments not very often seen. Generally Amati outline, good red or red-brown varnish. Well-finished work.
DALL’ AGLIO, Joseph.—Mantua; nineteenth century to about 1830.