DAVID STIRRAT

Lutherie

A close look at the work of great and unusual makers

WRITTEN BY DAVID RATTRAY

Born in Ayrshire in 1768, David Stirrat apprenticed as a joiner. Edinburgh records of 1792 indicate he married Mary Anderson at the age of 24. According to the Lanark Barony parish register, they were living in Port Dundas, Glasgow, from 1794 to 1795, when their sons John and William were respectively born. Exactly what work he was undertaking during this period is unclear, but it is probable he was already associated with violin making and had worked for an Edinburgh luthier. Given stylistic clues in his earliest work, this would point to Matthew Hardie, whose own business was established at the Lawnmarket in the same year as Stirrat’s marriage.

By 1811 Stirrat had relocated to Edinburgh, where he became established as a violin maker working at several locations around the ‘Old Town’. He first advertised himself as a ‘Musical Instrument maker at 201 High Street’ in 1814. Between 1816 and 1823 he was a ‘violin and violoncello maker’, at the head of Fleshmarket Close. His final listed business address was at 105 High Street. His own labelled instruments are not known after 1819, although his signature has been found on the underside of a Hardie-labelled violin of 1822. During his short career Stirrat produced mainly violins. Two cellos are also attributed to him, with no violas known.

INSTRUMENT

This handsome violin of 1819 remains in fine condition. Its graceful workmanship contrasts with the slightly bolder appearance of some of Stirrat’s earlier work. His model is drawn from Hardie’s stylised Stradivari form, distinguished by the flat curving upper and lower bouts, elongated C-bouts and hooked corners. His work is further characterised by its relatively low arching, in addition to the well-defined shallow edgework and flowing sycamore purfling.

In common with other Edinburgh work of the time, the rib mitres butt together and terminate flush near to the corner tips.

MATERIALS

Stirrat often used cuts of locally grown slab-cut sycamore, no doubt as an economy. Here, the superior quarter-sawn timber is marked with a faint broad flame. The table is of well-chosen Alpine spruce of straight and narrow growth. Earlier examples were often made from wider-grained timber.

F-HOLES

The f-holes possess tapered stems and elegant lower wings, a look that compares favourably with local work of the time, including that of William Ferguson and John Blair. With this example, however, the f-holes’ low positioning contributes to a longer stop than normal. In common with Hardie’s work, fine inked lines and pin-pricks marked the f-hole perimeter; on close inspection, traces of these pinholes remain visible around the perimeter of the f-holes particularly noticeable here on the lower wings.

SCROLL

The head shows refinement compared with Stirrat’s early work. The profile of the oval-formed scroll possesses a tightly coiled second turn and even, narrow chamfers.

VARNISH

The dark red-orange varnish typically distinguishes Stirrat’s oil-based recipe from that of the more golden brown- coloured shades generally favoured by Edinburgh makers.

MAKER DAVID STIRRAT • NATIONALITY BRITISH • BORN 1768 • DIED AFTER 1826 • INSTRUMENT VIOLIN • DATE 1819

Location of Stirrat’s workshop at the head of Fleshmarket Close, Edinburgh