Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-02-16

house on that street except the one where
j. II. Stebbins now lives, and there was no
house on the road to East Guilford except
the one on the Clark place, which stood
some way back from the road Mr.. Co.
nant entered into partnership with An
thony Van Doom in the cabinet business
their shop standing where Emerson IL
Sons store now is For twelve years
Mr. Conant continued in this business,
and then for several years made bass viols
for Woodbury. IL Burditt, the Od-time
dealers in musical instruments, who sold
the product of Mr.. Conant's skill to the
trade in New York and Boston, where they
won for him reputation for great excel
lence OF workmanship. Afterward, for
some 20 years, lie made rules in the old
rule shop, and was for six years an action
maker for Estey ~ Co.
1t was while employed in the rule shop
that Mr. COnant began making violins,
employing himself in this way in the be-
ginning, doubtless, mainly as a diversion.
In due time both he and the users of his
vlolins began to discover his remarkable
git as maker of these instruments, and
after leaving the Estey shops their manu-
facture was his sole occupation. 1t was
not until 1876 that he began to number his
Vlollns, but after that date he made up-
ward of 700, and the total number must
have been more than 1000. This work
mas been done IN room set apart for the
purpose in his Canal street home. where
many visitors, including musicians of
prominence, have received a cordial wei
come and have been entertained with Mr.
Conants inimitable vein of drollerv and
apt sayings. The story of his work has
often been told and widely published. One
OF the best accounts was that written bv
Mr. Childs for the Springfield Republican
several years ago, and younger people will
ma these extracts interesting.
The Old Violin Makers Work,
I'm quaint, white painted cottage on
Canal street, in front of which stand three
or four shapely naples, lives William A.
Conant in his SD year. He is an unnre-
tentious but interestingly jolly old gentle
man, who has won more than local celeb
rlty as practical violin manufacturer. and
Is believed to be the oldest living repre-
sentative of his trade in the United States
SUN engaged in the manufacture of these
instruments. Letters from leading musi
Grams III different parts of the country attest
the value of his violns, and the old MANN
iacturer takes commendable pride in re-
ierrlng to the complimentary terms in
Wmch the celebrated DodWorth smoke of
them, pronouncing them superior i'm tone
TO those of French or English make. Mr.
Conant tunes his own violins, though no
cannot play tune; yet he is often impor-
tuned by local musicians and Others 70
string and tune their violns.
The wood for the manufacture Of tbase
instruments comes from off the Green
mountains, much of it being gathered NV
Mr.. Conant himself on the hills i'm Dover
Wilmington and Woodford. The selection
requires great care very few trees heing fl
Tor use The top or belly of the violin Is
OF old-growth spruce, it being selected for
us softness and fine grain. Only one side
u the tree is fit for the manufacture nc
Hlouns' Alter a suitable tree has been
louhd, only the north side is selected as
Ihe south side grows faster and the SIM
draws the gum to that side, so that the
WOOD Is coarser. 1t is not especiallv IN.
gram OF the wood says Mr.. Conan. StLa,
makes Vlolln good. Some are made of
coarse grain and Others fine, but it is What
eau tne temper of the wood that gives
S Smo oes' tone TO the instrument. | don't
SUPPOSE 4 could md one log in all of the
f n.iiionS Hoatlhg down the Connecticut fiji
l a'', sioilns, as they are all second growth.
6o S i Ie"I Tue river, where the first growth
has long since been DESTROYED II 3so oon
ceded that 1t is the vibrations of the wood
' ,iiaH lllpart the tone to violin, and good
violin violin invariably improves with use SIT II
ii hSAes a , vast difference who handles vio-
IN as dlscords harm a good instrnn,ont
This is the reason, declares Mr. C %rnt'
why good yiolinists are 10th to loan t5eir,
~ Instruments sioal violin if laid aside goes
70 70, sleep and it often requires master 7 ill.,
0' e. Pun LOW TO wake it up and bring it to-
venerable maker; most of them 10Y" :ro tne
up cheap, but the owners of NV instsRU U'
s Snnl those of any other manufactn Ipiie
i"caI Ga ,hese yiolins have been in use by
local players for more than 30 wears any
grow richer in tone as they grow oIS aaS ana ana
are consequently highly valued. Mr. Gu Co
nan nant Is e0nyersant with the history nf on
the noted violin makers, as well as - viii 1Il