Collier and Davis
Collier and Davis
fl. 1755 - 1780
Fish Street, London
The Hill papers make a distinction between Samuel Collier and Thomas Collier although until further research can be done, the distinction may be a difficult one. W. Meredith Morris recalls "I have seen one violin of his [Samuel's] make, on the Stainer model, varnished dark yellow, with a small husky tone". Sandy's and Forster recall a label: Samuel Collier musical instrument / Maker, at Correlli's Head on London Bridge 1755. The Hill papers associate one Thomas Collier as the partner of Davis. What we can add to their suggestion is that Thomas Collier was an important maker of woodwind instruments, and a number of flutes and oboes exist with a brand, incorporating a sunburst "T. COLLIER / LONDON" with the implication that he was the maker, and not a reseller. At any rate, the partnership seems to have formed after the buildings on London Bridge were compulsory purchased and torn down in 1756 to solve congestion, and their location on Fish Street Hill, the approach to London bridge indicates a direct continuation of Samuel Collier's original business at Corelli's Head. Thereafter the business is described on a trade card (Ex.Hill) in the following manner:
fl. 1755 - 1780
Fish Street, London
The Hill papers make a distinction between Samuel Collier and Thomas Collier although until further research can be done, the distinction may be a difficult one. W. Meredith Morris recalls "I have seen one violin of his [Samuel's] make, on the Stainer model, varnished dark yellow, with a small husky tone". Sandy's and Forster recall a label: Samuel Collier musical instrument / Maker, at Correlli's Head on London Bridge 1755. The Hill papers associate one Thomas Collier as the partner of Davis. What we can add to their suggestion is that Thomas Collier was an important maker of woodwind instruments, and a number of flutes and oboes exist with a brand, incorporating a sunburst "T. COLLIER / LONDON" with the implication that he was the maker, and not a reseller. At any rate, the partnership seems to have formed after the buildings on London Bridge were compulsory purchased and torn down in 1756 to solve congestion, and their location on Fish Street Hill, the approach to London bridge indicates a direct continuation of Samuel Collier's original business at Corelli's Head. Thereafter the business is described on a trade card (Ex.Hill) in the following manner:
COLLIER AND DAVIS
Musical Instrument Makers.
(from London Bridge)
An Number 7 on Fish-Street-Hill, facing the Monument, London,
MAKES, Mends and Sells, all sorts of Musical Instruments: where
Gentlemen, Shopkeepers, or Others may be furnished with Violins,
Hautboys, German and Common Flutes, Books of Instructions, Ruled
Books and Paper, the best Roman Strings, and Silver Bases, Wholesale
and Retail, at the Lowest Prices.
The relocation to Fish Street-Hill underscores the advantages of business on London Bridge. For this was the main street to the old London Bridge passing by the Monument to the Great fire (the pedestrian access was through the archway beneath the tower of St Magnus the Martyr visible in the Bowles engraving of the street from 1745. (The new bridge as we know it was constructed slightly to the West of the older one, which is why the geography may seem a little unfamiliar).
Instruments prove to be very rare. The Hills recall "a printed label, no date, in an unpurfled violin of Duke type, from a Puttick & Simpson sale in 1916 which they purchased (D43, then X974): "COLLIER & DAVIS. Maker at / Fish-Street-Hill, London". An example that I have seen had a Hill neck of the period but a later fingerboard added by Guivier's, so it may have been the same instrument with the markings removed. A date of 1770 is given in pencil onto the back of the instrument, within a drawn circle that overlaps the label. Although this is probably drawn through the soundhole, it is similar to the way instruments are dated by makers such as Duke and Carter, so it is quite probably correct and original. This violin was more in the hand of Lockey Hill, with an identical scroll to the type that Hill made for Longman and Broderip, but it had very finely painted purfling, and was not obviously of a lower quality. It is of Hill's narrower type with fuller arching that equates to a Stainer(-esque) model. The brownish varnish qualifying a "Duke type" designation. Despite the very strong and distinctive similarities to Lockey Hill's work, this particular example lacked the divets found in the edge of the back that are expected (but not always present) from Hill's method of making.
Henley reported another example from 1775. The entry from his dictionary quoted here without further comment to accuracy, or to its gaff-ridden commentary: "Fairly flat models of splendid outline. Workmanship has that appearance demanding respect. Purfling sometimes inlaid diamond shape, and neatly done. Red brown oil varnish. Fully wooded instruments, made not for their day but for a future; and now the tone, mellowed and chastened, has an exceptionally nice quality which should appeal to lady soloists. £40 (1948)."
