VIOLIN MAKING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 297, 16 December 1927, Page 11

VIOLIN MAKING.

MR. JAMES HEWITT'S SKILL.

To those who arc not aware of the fact, it is interesting to learn that Auckland possesses in Mr. James Hewitt a distinguished maker of high-grade, mellow and silvery-toned violins. Mr. Hewitt is to be found in a top room at Xo. 1-8.. Swanson Street, and hr.s a, personality that fits delightfully in with his work. His whole life is devoted to his calling, and he can talk With knowledge of the profession he has adopted. He has no "fads" about old instruments •'I have seen many very old fiddles," he said to a "Star" representative, "that 1 would not give 30/ to possess, and yet ■ the owners are of opinion that they have I something worth a small fortune. Thai ja fiddle must be old to be good is utter rubbish. If a fiddle is no good when it's j new, age will never make it good. I overhauled a fiddle 200 years old quite recently, and it was not worth £2. Tor tone I will back a fiddle I can make for I £50 against any violin that can be brought me valued up to £800." In further conversation Mr. Hewitt said that he has so many orders constantly waiting for new violins that he can give far too little time to repair work or the making of bows, for which there is a spreat demand. Another interesting fact is that Mr. Hewitt is a Xew Zealander and has been in the violin business for 40 years and in Swanson Street rooms for l.> years. He makes to order from selected old Italian timber, oil amber varnished, at £50, £75 and £100, while he can sell old violins from £1 upwards Bows may be relapped with whalebone, silver or leather. Violin strings are a specialty. The finest quality tested It*Han and other durable kinds are specially made to Mr. Hewitt's order. The exhibition awards that have come to Mr. Hewitt are certainly a tribute to his skill and genius. For instance, at the New Zealand Exhibition, l!) 06-,7 he was awarded gold and silver medals for handmfde violins, specially commended for violin repairing, specially commended for bow-making, and specially commended for violin varnishes. At the Otago Exhibition. 1912, Mr. Hewitt was awarded a first-class diploma for violins under construction and hand-made violine finished; first-class award and gold medal for hand-made violins, first-class nward und gold medal for violin repairing, Auckland Exhibition, 1013-14. Mr. James Hewitt has certainly become distinguished, and numerous orders he is fulfilling show that the lovers ot good violins in New Zealand have faith in his skill.