Jay, Henry
Henry Jay
fl.1740-1776
Covent Garden & Piccadilly, London
Henry Jay is often given to be a pupil of Peter Wamsley, but the rather exaggerated arching of his instruments of a Stainer pattern puts me more in mind of Robert Thompson and Daniel Wright in the City of London as the probable originators of his style. He was working in Long Acre, Covent Garden from 1740, and in Windmill Street Piccadilly by 1766. Signed examples of his work are relatively uncommon as he sold through various London shops. As a result the majority of his work is found with stamps below the button for the many variations of the Longman partnerships with Broderip and Lukey. Reportedly some examples are signed H.Jay beneath the varnish of the belly underneath the fingerboard. Varnish is variable from a translucent golden colour, occasionally a rich red-brown, and often a muddy brown varnish. Some violins of a good Stradivarian model as illustrated below. but the majority a variant of the 'London Stainer Pattern'. Violoncellos of slightly better proportion, and highly sought after. Sandys & Forster pay special attention to his kits (dancing master's fiddles) which they report to have sold for five or six pounds when they were made.
There is a possibility that he was the son of the elusive Thomas Jay, if that earlier maker actually existed.
Labels:
Made by Henry Jay / in Long Acre, 1742
Made by Henry Jay / in Windmill Street / near Piccadilly; London 1768
Benjamin Hebbert
www.hebberts.com
References:
Hill Papers / Brompton's Dictionary
fl.1740-1776
Covent Garden & Piccadilly, London
Henry Jay is often given to be a pupil of Peter Wamsley, but the rather exaggerated arching of his instruments of a Stainer pattern puts me more in mind of Robert Thompson and Daniel Wright in the City of London as the probable originators of his style. He was working in Long Acre, Covent Garden from 1740, and in Windmill Street Piccadilly by 1766. Signed examples of his work are relatively uncommon as he sold through various London shops. As a result the majority of his work is found with stamps below the button for the many variations of the Longman partnerships with Broderip and Lukey. Reportedly some examples are signed H.Jay beneath the varnish of the belly underneath the fingerboard. Varnish is variable from a translucent golden colour, occasionally a rich red-brown, and often a muddy brown varnish. Some violins of a good Stradivarian model as illustrated below. but the majority a variant of the 'London Stainer Pattern'. Violoncellos of slightly better proportion, and highly sought after. Sandys & Forster pay special attention to his kits (dancing master's fiddles) which they report to have sold for five or six pounds when they were made.
There is a possibility that he was the son of the elusive Thomas Jay, if that earlier maker actually existed.
Labels:
Made by Henry Jay / in Long Acre, 1742
Made by Henry Jay / in Windmill Street / near Piccadilly; London 1768
Benjamin Hebbert
www.hebberts.com
References:
Hill Papers / Brompton's Dictionary
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| "Made by Henry Jay in Long Acre 1746" (Courtesy of Bromptons Auctioneers) |
