NICOLAS.—Paris. See Fourrier.
NICOLAS.—Mirecourt; eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. A well-known family, the principal member of which is known the world over as “didier” Nicolas. He was born in 1757 and died in 1833. His early personal work is good and well finished. The violins are built somewhat upon Stradivari lines, but cannot be described as copies of that maker. They are generally of rather large pattern and but slightly arched. Tone powerful, and the varnishes, a reddish-yellow or yellow-brown, of good quality. Some of the violoncellos are exceptionally good. There is no doubt that these earlier examples possess considerable merit, but in later years Nicolas employed a very large staff of workmen, and degenerated into a manufacturer of coarse-sounding, common-place instruments, which, though useful enough in the orchestra, are quite unsuitable for other purposes. The type of instrument ultimately turned out has been extensively copied in France and elsewhere. The feature which at once strikes the eye is the sound-hole, the wings of which are cut off almost horizontally. His fiddles are branded with a triangular stamp “a la Ville de Cremonne.” Several other Mirecourt makers adopted the “Ville de Cremonne” as a sign. A son, Joseph, died in 1864, and after the latter’s death the business was sold to Derazey (q.v.).
NIGGELL, Sympert.—Füssen; circa 1730-75. A maker of some repute, but not very well-known in this country. A few fiddles seen by the writer were well-finished instruments; pattern a little like that of Albani, and with dark brown varnish. He branded his work inside with his initials.
NISBET, William.—Prestonkirk. Born 1828. Pencilled his name inside the backs of his violins. Obtained a medal in Edinburgh in 1886.
NORMAN, Barak.—London; circa 1680-1740. Said to have been the first maker of violoncellos in this country. His work is generally double purfled, and he imitated some of the Maggini features, including the peculiarity observed in that maker’s sound-holes, the lower circles of which are smaller than the upper ones. The violoncellos are large, and well made, the varnish generally a dark red-brown, but lighter shades occur. He and Nathaniel Cross, with whom he was for a time partner, seem to have made a number of ornamentally purfled viols-da-gamba. The writer has seen some of these, converted and strung as violoncellos. Violins by Barak Norman exist, although this has been denied by some writers. His monogram in purfling appears under the finger-boards, and sometimes on the backs. Some large tenors of high build are in existence.
NORRIS, John.—London. Died 1818. Founded the well-known business of Norris and Barnes, for many years carried on in Coventry Street. He learned fiddle-making with Thomas Smith, but very little seems to be known of him as a workman.
NOVELLO.—Venice; eighteenth century. Three makers of the name are mentioned. The only examples of violins seen by the writer were by Pietro Valentino, who was at work in the closing years of the century, and describes himself in his tickets as a pupil of Bellosio.
NÜRNBERGER.—Markneukirchen; eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. A large family of workmen, two or three of whom have turned their attention to bow-making. Some of their work in this department is excellent, and will bear comparison for style and finish with that of the best living French bow-makers.
OBBÕ, Marco.—Naples; earlier part of eighteenth century. Little known. His full name does not seem to be known, but the final O in his label has the abbreviation mark (as above) over it. Flattish fiddles. Yellow, or yellow-brown varnish.
OBICI, Bartolomeo.—Verona; seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Large violins. Yellow varnish. Brescian style of work.