Thomas Perry (violin maker)
Encyclopedia
Life
Perry was born in Dublin, the son of a Thomas Pierrie (also a violin maker, who died in 1771) working at Temple BarTemple Bar, Dublin
Temple Bar is an area on the south bank of the River Liffey in central Dublin, Ireland. Unlike the areas surrounding it, Temple Bar has preserved its medieval street pattern, with many narrow cobbled streets. It is promoted as "Dublin's cultural quarter" and has a lively nightlife that is popular...
. He was probably of Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
descent. By 1787 Perry had established his business in nearby Anglesea St. He numbered all his violins and is known to have made more than 3,000.
As well as making first-class violins, Perry also made violas, cellos and at least one double-bass, some of which are in the collection of the National Museum of Ireland
National Museum of Ireland
The National Museum of Ireland is the national museum in Ireland. It has three branches in Dublin and one in County Mayo, with a strong emphasis on Irish art, culture and natural history.-Archaeology:...
. He invented the cither-viol or sultana in the 1760s and was renowned for the quality and beauty of his instruments. Tradition has it that Perry was able to copy an Amati
Amati
Amati is the name of a family of Italian violin makers, who flourished at Cremona from about 1549 to 1740.-Andrea Amati:Andrea Amati was not the earliest maker of violins whose instruments still survive today...
lent to him by the Duke of Leinster
Duke of Leinster
Duke of Leinster is a title in the Peerage of Ireland and the premier dukedom in that peerage. The title refers to Leinster, but unlike the province the title is pronounced "Lin-ster"...
, but his other models are of a more Tyrolean type or reminiscent of the work of Richard Duke in London.
The violin maker Richard Tobin, who later set up business in London, became his apprentice and Vincenzo Panormo
Vincenzo Panormo
Vincenzo Trusiano Panormo was an Italian luthier of English violins. Panarmo is thought to have been born in Palermo, Sicily . He studied violin making in Naples with the Gagliano family of luthiers. From 1753 to 1789, Panormo worked in Paris as a violin craftsman...
worked with Perry prior to moving to London. His pupils included violin makers Delany, Dollard, Mackintosh, Ringwood, Wheatley, and others. His eldest daughter married William Wilkinson (1771-1838), a cousin and pupil, and Wilkinson carried on the business after Perry's death until 1839.