William Atkinson

---

William Atkinson worked as a seaman until around 1869, when he crafted his first instrument during an apprenticeship as a joiner. He became a professional violin maker in Tottenham, north London, operating from a general supply shop on Church Road. In 1911, he relocated to Paglesham, Essex. He was a prolific maker using Stradivari- or Amati-derived models, known for fine craftsmanship and good oil ...Read More varnish, although his execution and design were somewhat stiff. His oil varnish, a personal concoction, was soft and slow drying, developing color without added pigmentation, though in some instances it has excessively worn or crazed. It is often reported that he destroyed work he deemed unsatisfactory, especially later in life when earlier pieces did not meet his later standards. He managed to do this partly because he consistently held other jobs throughout his life and was never fully reliant on his income from violin making. He branded his instruments beneath the button: "William Atkinson in / Tottenham 1893" and "William Atkinson / in Paglesham 1924. ". Read Less

---

View all auction prices for William Atkinson