TOURTE.—Paris; eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Celebrated bow-makers. Beyond being the father of the famous François, “Tourte père,” though himself a bow-maker, did not achieve any particular distinction. He died about 1780. Xaver or Savère, his elder son, made some good bows, and some very indifferent ones. Francois Tourte was born in 1747, and died in April, 1835. He made a very large number of bows, and continued to work until very late in life. They are unstamped, and save in about two cases, in which he inserted small engraved labels in the nuts, he used no distinguishing mark or brand to identify his work. He was admittedly the finest bowmaker who ever lived, but the work of other French makers is often quite equal in merit to all but his very best examples, and even then it is more a matter of superb finish than of practical utility. He probably was mainly instrumental in settling the correct length of the bow, but beyond this it is very questionable whether he was the actual “inventor” of the improvements with which he is credited in books.
TRAPANI, Raffaele.—Naples; early nineteenth century. His instruments are more remarkable for originality than beauty of appearance. Large violins. Sound-holes pointed; flat arching; varnish reddish brown. The work is fairly well finished.
TRINELLI, Giovanni.—Scandino; early nineteenth century. Large violins. Powerful tone. Not highly finished. Scarce.
TRUCCO, Girolamo.—Savona; about 1840.
TRUSKA, Simon Joseph.—Strahow. Died 1809. A priest who made violins and other stringed instruments.
TUBBS.—London; nineteenth century. A well-known family of bow-makers. William Tubbs, father of the present maker, worked with Edward Dodd, and much of his work strongly resembles that of his master; he was a good workman. James Tubbs was born in 1835, and is still at work. He has attained wide celebrity, and many of his bows are beautiful examples of his art.
TURNER.—London; nineteenth century. Was a well-known dealer and importer, but seems to have employed workmen. His stamp may be seen on many instruments of a common class (sometimes with lion heads) of continental make.
TYWERSUS.—Nancy; sixteenth century. It seems to be doubtful whether he made violins.
UEBEL.—Markneukirchen, Klingenthal; eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. There were several makers of the name. Some of them were at work until very recent times.
UGAR, Crescenzio.—Rome; late eighteenth century. Was possibly a German. Brown varnish. German style.