[Violins] [Hill, William Ebsworth. (1817–1895)] [Hopkinson, Francis. (1737–1791)] Hayley, William. (1745–1820)
"The Triumph of Music" owned by the founder of W. E. Hill & Sons and the descendants of Francis Hopkinson
London: J. Seagrave. 1804. First. An interesting example of The Triumph of Music; A Poem: in Six Cantos, with ownership signature on title page by Hill ("W E Hill"), who established the venerated violin-making firm W. E. Hill & Sons in 1880. From Hill, the book passed into the collection of Elizabeth Borden Biddle (1800-1891), descendant of the distinguished family, her father being Judge Hopkinson, author of "Hail Columbia", her grandfather, Francis Hopkinson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, her great grandfather Thomas Hopkinson, a member of the provincial council and judge of the vice admiralty under George II. Biddle has subsequently inscribed the volume to her nephew Edward Hopkinson, dating the gift November 1883. From the Francis Hopkinson Family Archives. 4to, contemporary calf. 148 pp. Boards with corners worn or perished, joints cracked but holding strong, musty odor, otherwise fine. A most interesting association copy!William Ebsworth Hill, the founder of the business, was born in London in 1817, and was the fourth generation of violin makers in the family. The company of W. E. Hill and Sons dominated the violin trade in England and throughout much of the rest of the world during the twentieth century. (18743)
Book Classical Music