DUKE, RICHARD, London, 1767 to 1777. This Artist was very celebrated in his day and his instruments commanded very good prices. He frequently stamped his name on the back, but as far as we have seen, only on inferior productions. Very good instruments may now occasionally be met with at low prices in consequence of the great prejudice in favour of the Italian and other foreign makers.
DURFEL, —— Altenburg, made good double Basses. His violins are also said by one authority to be excellent in point of tone.
DUIFFOPRUGCAR, GASPARD, born in the Tyrol, established in Bologna in 1510, and went to Paris at the invitation of Francis 1st. He afterwards removed to Lyons. This appears to be the first maker of the genuine Violin we have on record, and some instruments still exist to attest the excellence to which he had reached. M. Vuillaume, possesses a Bass Viol, and other Parisian Collectors possess instruments by this ancient artiste.
E.
EBERLE, JEAN ULRIC, Prague, 1749. Otto says this is one of the most celebrated German Makers and his instruments have been frequently taken by experienced connoisseurs for Italian; the difference being that they "have a sharper or rather not so round and full a tone." Connoisseurs could not be very experienced at that time, if they could mistake for Cremonese, instruments possessing this characteristic, which is exactly what distinguishes the inferior instruments from the genuine.
EBERTI, TOMMASO, about 1730.
EDLINGER, THOMAS, Prague 1715.
EDLINGER, JOSEPH JOACHIM, Prague, son of Thomas. Visited Italy, and afterwards built some excellent instruments; died in 1748.
ERNST, FRANCOIS ANTOINE, born in Bohemia in 1745. This artiste made some excellent instruments which are said almost to reach the Cremonas in tone. He was also the Author of a Treatise on Instruments. The celebrated Violinist Spohr, author of "the Violin School," is said to have at one time used one of this maker's instruments.
EVANS, RICHARD London, 1742.