John Dilworth
MENTIPLY, Andrew Born 1856 Boarhills, Fife, died 1918 Glasgow, Scotland UK. Active in Ladybank and Gateside, Fife, then moving to Glasgow 1915. Apprenticed as a joiner and later worked on the railway. Active as a violin maker from about 1880. Produced around 120 violins, violas, cellos, and bows. The business was continued by his son John as the ‘Mentiplay’ music shop, which flourished in Kircaldy until 2003. Fine workmanship employed on personal models. High arch and large slightly eccentric soundholes set close to the edge. Scroll likewise rather extreme with very deep throat and strongly recurved chin. Good rich oil varnish of deep red brown colour. Printed label: Andrew A. Mentiply, Commercial Road / Ladybank / Fifeshire, March 1899 Manuscript label; Andrew A. Mentiply Ladybank. Fife. 7/2/99 [Rattray]
William Meredith Morris
He was born at Burnside, Boarhills, near St. Andrews, Nov. 1, 1859. He is an amateur maker who displays so considerable an amount of ability and originality as to justify more than a passing notice of his work. He has made over fifty violins, a few of which are on the Stradivari and a few on the Guarneri models, but the majority of them are on an original model. The outline and arching of this original model are strongly reminiscent of those of Joseph, but the outline is more rounded, especially in the inner bouts or C’s, and the lower or broad end is more extended. The scroll and sound-holes also differ materially from those of the great classics, the former being quaint and pleasing in effect, but the latter overdone and bordering on a caricature. Mr. Mentiply’s intellectual orchard is exuberant in growth, but it wants pruning. The classics are not to be depreciated as a means of education, and much less as objects of worship. The workmanship and tone are excellent, but the varnish is very indifiTerent. If this maker exercised a little self-restriction and used better varnishes, he would turn out work that would rank beside the best produced in Scotland to-day.
Willibald Leo Lütgendorff
Ein Eisenbahnbeamter, der sich in seinen freien Stunden mit dem Geigenmachen beschäftigt und über 50 neue Violinen und viele Bögen gemacht hat. Er hat ein eigenes Modell und macht sich auch den Öllack selbst. Seine F-Löcher zeigen die Endpunkte statt kreisrund in ovaler Form.
