A.E Smith Violin Maldon 1906

This violin was made by Arthur Edward Smith in 1906, in Maldon, England. Born in London in 1880, Arthur Edward Smith began his career as an engineer before turning to violin making. After learning the craft in England and spending time in Melbourne and San Francisco, he settled in Sydney and established his own workshop in 1919. Smith’s Hunter Street workshop became an important centre for Australian violin making, repair and restoration, training a number of makers who went on to become prominent in their own right. He handcrafted around 250 instruments, including violins, violas and cellos, drawing on the traditions of the great Italian makers. His instruments attracted leading musicians, including Yehudi Menuhin and Isaac Stern. In 1949, he received diplomas of honour for both violin and viola at the International Exhibition of Violin Makers in The Hague. In 1971, he was awarded an MBE for his services to music.