Astor, George & Co.
George Astor & Company
Wych Street
London
George and Johan Jacob Astor were flute makers who immigrated to England around 1778. They were prolific makers of wind instruments, but they also heavily engaged in music publishing and the resale of other instruments including square pianos and violins.
Violins with an Astor stamp on them are rare, although this is not a qualification of value. The Hills record seeing one in April 1915 which they described as an old Bavarian fiddle. It is not clear what to make of this, as various German-trained violin makers were also working in London at the time, including Johannes Rauche and Reinerus Liessem whose work could be taken as 'old Bavarian'. The violin was stamped:
Wych Street
London
George and Johan Jacob Astor were flute makers who immigrated to England around 1778. They were prolific makers of wind instruments, but they also heavily engaged in music publishing and the resale of other instruments including square pianos and violins.
Violins with an Astor stamp on them are rare, although this is not a qualification of value. The Hills record seeing one in April 1915 which they described as an old Bavarian fiddle. It is not clear what to make of this, as various German-trained violin makers were also working in London at the time, including Johannes Rauche and Reinerus Liessem whose work could be taken as 'old Bavarian'. The violin was stamped:
ASTOR
No.26
Wych St.
London.
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