Born in Innsbrück, in the Tyrol, 1776. Nephew and pupil of Francois Fent of Paris, with whom he went to live in his 7th year. Came to London, 1798, and worked eleven years with Thomas Dodd, having J. F. Lott on the next bench. Employed by John Betts, 1800. Died in Aylesbury Street, Clerkenwell, 1832, and was buried in Clerkenwell Churchyard. Though greatly employing the Strad model, his instruments have some individuality. All are quite refined. Every detail highly finished. Scroll and sound-holes well carved, purfling finely carried out. Choice of wood coincides with the art-workmanship; belly wood of absolute straight grain, handsome flamed maple for the backs. Tone of exquisite quality, rather Cremonese in the opinion of some. Orange brown shade of varnish, quite beautiful.
Catalogued at £50 (1925) and singularly cheap. Many instruments were made for Dodd, and this maker applied his special varnish and inserted his label. Nearly all the Amati models of John Betts owe their creation of fine contour to the ingenuity of Fendt. Double-basses are eagerly snapped up by players and connoisseurs. Of glorious proportions and varnish. Remarkable graduation of the plates has undoubtedly had its fullest allotment in the verdant field of tone - a tone quite Italian in quality. £80, 1959.
Born in Innsbrück, in the Tyrol, 1776. Nephew and pupil of Francois Fent of Paris, with whom he went to live in his 7th year. Came to London, 1798, and worked eleven years with Thomas Dodd, having J. F. Lott on the next bench. Employed by John Betts, 1800. Died in Aylesbury Street, Clerkenwell, 1832, and was buried in Clerkenwell Churchyard. Though greatly employing the Strad model, his instruments have some individuality. All are quite refined...
Fendt,Bernhard
