Page:Violin Varnish and How to Make it.djvu/12

2 richness of their tone owed much of their success to the wonderful qualities possessed by the varnish they employed.

The old Cremonese workers, who attained the highest point of perfection in this direction, undoubtedly discovered their secret by a fortunate accident, and it is surprising that, though centuries have passed, no one has since been able to produce a varnish that will in any way compare with that of those great masters of old.

Many attempts have been made to remedy this, and much scientific knowledge has been brought to bear on the subject without much success, and it is with the object of affording to the student a guide and compendium to work upon, that I have ventured to offer this little book to his consideration, and if only a small step in this direction is gained, my desire to assist in the restoration of Violin Varnish to its former perfection will have been amply rewarded.

To obtain an Ideal Varnish, the absolutely correct proportioning of the materials used in its composition must be ascertained.

In the following chapters I have given