George Craske

Violin maker
(1795 – 1888)

George Craske first studied violin making with William Forster in London and began making instruments for Thomas Dodd and the firm of Muzio Clementi in the early 19th century. After relocating several times in search of a satisfactory place to open ...Read More a shop, he settled in Birmingham, where he began an extremely prolific career as a talented copyist of Amati, Guarneri, and Stradivari. Craske was astoundingly productive, making over 2,500 instruments in his lifetime, all the more impressive because he worked without assistance and in complete seclusion. According to his labels, Craske was still making instruments in 1888, the year he died. The quality of his craftsmanship varies, but can be high. Materials, which he probably acquired from William Forster III, are usually very good. After Craske's death his entire inventory was left to his life-long friend George Crompton, who sold them to the firm of W.E. Hill & Sons for resale. Read Less