The creator of violins
Posted by lburton on Aug 13, 2007 at 1:30 p.m.
Christian Savage owns a small workshop in Newcastle Emyln in West Wales. He makes violins. He trained at London college of furniture from 1972 - 1975 and went on to teach the trade to others in Cardiff for a year. He then began to make his own violins and cellos. He is also a collector of violins and has a story for each violin. He holds up one violin and declares that this one was brought into a second hand violin dealers in London in the 1800's by a pedlar who had this one and 50 more in a sack on his back. The peddlar had been travelling through Italy and had collected the violins which had been made by local carpenters in the villages. Another violin is attributed to Giuseppe Guadagnini. A Cello leaning against the wall brings a smile to his face. He made it and then was disapointed by the sound, a friend borrowed it for a while and when it returned after much use it's sound was amazing. Bernard Gregos-Smith played it, Christian remarks and Bernard told him it was the best cello he had ever played.