ker. His later
work is highly spoken of.

MEARES, Richard, about 1677. Maker of Viols.

Richard Meares, without Bishopsgate,
near to Sir Paul Pinder's, London. Fecit 1677.

MIER, ----, London, about 1786.

MORRISON, John, London, about 1780-1803.

NAYLOR, Isaac, Headingly, near Leeds, about 1778-92.

NICHOLS, Edward, 18th century.

Edwardus Nichols,
Fecit ad exemplar Antoni Straduarii Cremonensis, 1763.

NORBORN, John, London, about 1723.

NORMAN, Barak, London, 1688-1740.

Barak Norman
and
Nathaniel Cross,
at the Bass Viol in St.
Paul's Church Yard,
London. Fecit 172--

The instruments of this maker are among the best of the Old English
school. His instructor in the art of Viol and Violin-making is
unknown, but judging from the character of his work it is very
probable he learned from Thomas Urquhart. This opinion is strengthened
upon examining his earliest instruments. We there find the same
peculiarities which mark the individuality of Urquhart. Later in life
he leaned much to the model of Maggini.

During his early years he was much esteemed as a maker of Viols, many
of which have all the marks of careful work upon them. On all of these
instruments will be found his name, surrounded with a design in
purfling, under the finger-board, or his monogram executed in
purfling. The same trade token will be found in his Violoncellos. All
endeavours to discover any existing English Violoncello, or record of
one, anterior to Barak Norman, have failed, and, consequently, it may
be assumed that he was the first maker of that instrument in England.
Here, again, is evidence of his partiality for the form of Maggini, as
he copied this maker in nearly all his Violoncellos. All the
Violoncellos of Barak Norman have bellies of good quality; the
modelling is executed skilfully, due care having been observed in
leaving sufficient wood. His Tenors are fine instruments. Many of
these were made years before he began the Violoncellos--a fact which
satisfactorily accounts for the marked difference in form peculiar to
them. The build is higher, and the sound-hole German in character; the
varnish is very dark. About the year 1715 Barak Norman entered into
partnership with Nathaniel Cross, carrying on the joint business at
the sign of the Bass Viol, St. Paul's Churchyard. In a Viol da Gamba
which belonged to Walter Brooksbank, Esq., of Windermere, is a label
in the handwriting of Nath