Edward Dodds

John Dilworth

DODDS, Edward Born 1817 Northumberland, died 1896 Edinburgh, Scotland UK. It is not impossible that he was connected to the Dodd family in London (see above) since they share origins in Northumbria. Recorded as a self-taught maker. Moved to Edinburgh 1863, working from 1 Charlotte Place. Usually very good if slightly heavy work, certainly comparable with that of Thomas Dodd, especially in the rather broad corners. It is certainly true that the speculative connection has been exploited in the past by dealers who have altered the labels of Dodds’ instruments to give the impression that they are from the more valuable London maker. The work is well-proportioned and Italianate with finely shaped and neatly cut scrolls. Advertised that ‘he was the only fiddle-maker who had discovered the real Cremona varnish’. This appears on his best work, which has a fine red-brown covering of good consistency, given to crazing. He also made cheaper grade work of crude quality with chippy thin spirit varnish, and generally lacked a good, rich ground even under his best recipe. E.Dodds fecit / Edinburgh 18..