Thomas Earle Hesketh Violin, Manchester 1935

This is a lovely example of Hesketh’s del Gesu model – it’s in near-perfect condition and the sound is excellent.

Manchester isn’t renowned as a centre of violin-making, but it’s had a major symphony orchestra since 1858, and GA Chanot moved there at the end of the 1870s. Thomas Earle Hesketh was apprentice to Chanot, and went on to make a lot of instrument for members of the Hallé orchestra in Manchester.

This violin is a very fine example of his work, elegantly made and unusually well preserved. The model is del Gesu, with long gracefully swept f-holes, long c-bouts and very flat arching. The materials are first class – the table has a beautiful fleck in the spruce and the one-piece back has a dramatic narrow flame.

The condition is excellent – there are no cracks or damages. The original varnish is very well preserved – just one small area of wear in the lower right back.

The violin comes with some origiinal promotional material and with a note to the first owner signed by Hesketh himself.

For all the debate about how much of Hesketh’s work is original and how much he used bought-in parts, he rarely made a bad-sounding fiddle.

As with all the Hesketh violins we have come across, this one is lightly built, responsive, and very even across the strings. Its specific character is warm and creamy, yet it retains clarity and articulation.

By this time in his career Hesketh had had many dealings with orchestral professionals, and this violin seems to me to be the perfect orchestral violin – a blending sound, good resonance under the ear, and a wide dynamic range. The sound is rich and musical whether you’re playing pianissimo or attempting to bring down the walls of Jericho.

A very well balanced and well tempered instrument that will adapt to most playing styles.