John (I) Betts

Highest auction price achieved
£ 43883.00

By William Meredith Morris

He was universally known as " Old John Betts," and was well respected and patronised. He was a pupil of Richard Duke, and, in the few instruments made by himself, showed that he had imbibed much of Duke's lore. The workmanship and varnish have much the same characteristics — the latter being, as a rule, of a tint which is a shade warmer than the varnish of Duke. He did not make many instruments himself, but employed excellent workmen, such as the Panormos, John Carter, Edward Betts, Bernhard Fendt, &c. The work is excellent, but poor instruments were occasionally sold by him, bearing his label. My great-grandfather ordered a violoncello of Betts in the year 1780, to be made by Betts himself. This instrument is now in my possession, and in excellent condition, having been recently repaired by Mr. J. W. Owen of Leeds. It is of the Amati model, plain wood, golden-brown varnish, with rather wide sound-holes. The tone is moderately powerful, and very sweet and mellow. The workmanship is solid and sober, without being refined and artistic like the work of Betts' master. Betts was one of the first in this country to do extensive business in Italian instruments, and a large number of fine violins found their way into this country in his time. He used two or three different labels. The one inserted into the violoncello just referred to reads : — JOHN BETTS, NO, 2, NORTH PIAZZA, ROYAL EXCHANGE, LONDINI, FECIT, JANUARY 9, 1782 the last line being written. The words "Jo. Betts, No. 2 North Piazza, Londini," are also written across the back on the inside, near the top, and an inscription, which is not decipherable, is written across the belly near the left sound- hole.

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Price History

Type Title Sold Price
Violin 35.6 cm London, 1820 c. Tue 1st November 11 £ 1108.00
Violin 35.8 cm London, 1780 c. [Workshop] Thu 1st May 08 £ 1686.00
Violin London, 1810 c. [Attributed to] Sun 1st May 05 £ 2400.00
Violin Bow Ivory 53 g. Open frog Wed 1st April 98 £ 1495.00
Violin Bow S/E 58 g. Wed 1st June 94 £ 920.00
Violin Bow S/I 58 g. Thu 1st May 86 £ 1045.00
Violin Bow S/E 60 g. Fri 1st November 85 £ 330.00
Violin 35.6 cm London, 1800 c. Wed 1st December 10 £ 4800.00
Violin 1850 c. Sat 1st March 03 £ 9360.00
Cello 1830-40 Wed 1st June 94 £ 28750.00
Violin 1850 Fri 1st November 91 £ 6600.00
Violin 35.7 cm London, 1782 Thu 1st December 11 £ 1057.00
Cello 74.0 cm London, 1780 c. Wed 1st June 11 £ 21600.00
Violin 35.1 cm London, 1780 c. Fri 1st April 11 £ 7501.00
Viola 38.8 cm London, 1803 Tue 1st March 11 £ 3600.00
Viola 38.4 cm Early 19th C. [Possibly by] Thu 1st July 10 £ 2115.00
Violin 35.1 cm London, 1785-1790 c. Tue 1st June 10 £ 7249.00
Viola 38.9 cm London, 1800 c. Mon 1st March 10 £ 4375.00
Violin 35.5 cm Late 18th C. [Workshop of] Mon 1st February 10 £ 3079.00
Violin 35.4 cm London, 1790 c. Thu 1st October 09 £ 8156.00
Violin 35.0 cm [Worskhop of] Thu 1st October 09 £ 4560.00
Violin 35.7 cm London, 1800 c. Mon 1st June 09 £ 7440.00
Violin 35.6 cm 1790 c. [Worskhop of] Mon 1st June 09 £ 360.00
Violin 35.6 cm London, 1810 c. after "Nicolo Amati" Mon 1st June 09 £ 7440.00
Cello 73.3 cm London, 1797 Sun 1st June 08 £ 12152.00
Cello 73.6 cm London, Early 19th C. [Workshop of] Mon 1st October 07 £ 4750.00
Violin 35.4 cm London, 1800 c. Mon 1st October 07 £ 3500.00
Violin 35.5 cm 1790 c. Thu 1st February 07 £ 1200.00
Violin 35.0 cm London, 1790 c. Thu 1st June 06 £ 3120.00
Cello London, 1780 c. Tue 1st November 05 £ 26271.00
Violin 1810 c. [Workshop] Mon 1st November 04 £ 1553.00
Violin 1809 c. [Workshop] Thu 1st April 04 £ 2827.00
Violin London, 1800 c. Mon 1st March 04 £ 1680.00
Violin 1792 Tue 1st July 03 £ 8400.00
Violin 1820 Sat 1st March 03 £ 4800.00
Viola 38.9 cm 1770 Tue 1st October 02 £ 3628.00
Cello 1780 Thu 1st November 01 £ 43883.00
Viola 35.8 cm 1800 Fri 1st September 00 £ 2990.00
Violin 1786 Mon 1st May 00 £ 1833.00
Violin 1755 Wed 1st March 00 £ 5175.00
Violin 1800 Wed 1st September 99 £ 2185.00
Cello 1791 Tue 1st June 99 £ 13000.00
Cello 1780 Mon 1st March 99 £ 2070.00
Violin 1810 c. Mon 1st June 98 £ 4255.00
Violin 1790 c. Sun 1st February 98 £ 2875.00
Violin 1790 Thu 1st May 97 £ 851.00
Violin 1785 Sat 1st March 97 £ 1495.00
Violin Bow Ivory 52 g. Open frog Sat 1st March 97 £ 977.00
Violin 18-- Fri 1st November 96 £ 4600.00
Violin 1810 c. Fri 1st November 96 £ 2875.00
Violin 1810 Sat 1st June 96 £ 3450.00
Violin 1790 Fri 1st March 96 £ 7475.00
Violin 1789 Fri 1st March 96 £ 1265.00
Violin 1804 Wed 1st November 95 £ 10350.00
Violin 1786 Sun 1st October 95 £ 8050.00
Viola 38.1 cm 1800 c. Thu 1st June 95 £ 6900.00
Viola 38.6 cm 18-- Wed 1st March 95 £ 4830.00
Viola 37.8 cm 1800 Wed 1st March 95 £ 1610.00
Cello Bow S/E 78 g. Tue 1st March 94 £ 690.00
Cello 1813 Mon 1st November 93 £ 8250.00
Viola 40.3 cm 1800 c. Mon 1st November 93 £ 5750.00
Violin 1800 c. Sun 1st August 93 £ 1760.00
Violin 17-- Thu 1st April 93 £ 5980.00
Viola 38.9 cm 1800 c. Sun 1st March 92 £ 2860.00
Cello 1800 c. Fri 1st November 91 £ 3960.00
Viola 38.3 cm 1800 c. Fri 1st November 91 £ 4950.00
Violin 1814 c. Mon 1st April 91 £ 8800.00
Violin 1810 c. Mon 1st April 91 £ 770.00
Cello 1800 c. Thu 1st November 90 £ 17050.00
Cello 1800 c. Thu 1st June 89 £ 13200.00
Viola Bow Ivory 62 g. Open frog Sun 1st November 87 £ 858.00
Viola 39.7 cm 1775-99 Fri 1st June 84 £ 2037.00
Viola Bow S/E 67 g. Wed 1st June 83 £ 540.00
Viola 40.2 cm 1790 Sun 1st March 81 £ 2308.00
Violin Wed 5th October 11 £ 7500.00
Violin Wed 22nd May 13 £ 11250.00
Violin Mon 11th May 15 £ 7500.00
Violin Mon 12th May 14 £ 500.00

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