Originally published in 1904 and expanded in 1920, this comprehensive illustrated reference work features a biographical dictionary of craftsmen and a critical description of their work, along with many of the luthiers' signatures and marks. The author includes introductory essays on the "Old School" makers of the eighteenth century and the revival of violinmaking in Britain by the "Modern School." Reverend Morris also devotes whole chapters to the manufacture of violin bridges and the various string makers. The author's expertise as a folklorist informs the chapter "Legend, Art, and Myth," which explores the violin's role in the culture and literature of the British Isles, including an amusing collection of fiddle-related proverbs and colloquial expressions. The appendixes address such issues as violin fatigue, the use of the names "fiddle" versus "violin," and the effects of wood and climate on tone.

Rev. W. Meredith Morris (1867-1921) was well known for his studies of the music, dialect, and folklore of his native Wales.