Many Basses from the Early English are difficult to Identify. Some of them are in or near their original state as well and not as desirable to play as the more playable Fendts and Panormos with accessible neck block/shoulder cuts. English Basses made before Dragonetti's popularity were often Cello shaped type shoulders. Bernhard Simon Fendt II was born in 1800/1. His Father as well as J.F. Lott I, made their Basses with bigger shoulders as it was acceptable back then. Most of these 'sexier' shouldered English Basses are after 1800. Many of the older ones as well have been cut and reshaped.
Edit (7/13/07): Makers such as Panormo, Kennedy, B.S.Fendt I & II, *J.F.Lott I, W.Gilkes and J.Hart as well as a few others DID slope the broad Shoulders at the top with a steep angle bend on their Basses. This was not a later modification but rather original features of these great English Basses (*J.F. Lott II aka 'Jack' Lott was mainly a Violin maker as is only known to have made one (1) single Bass in his time). Panormo however is the only one known to have made carved Round Backs while all the others mentioned specialized in making Flat Back Basses. My Samuel Gilkes Bass although a carved Round Back was made in Cello form originally and without an Angle Break at the top.
I have shown the
Dodd to a few of my contacts in the field as well as 5 different shops in the UK that are well versed in old English Basses. Betts was the first Name it carried but that was mainly due to the Stamp on the Back which can't be read and does not look at all like the Stamp that Betts used. One London Dealer is Positive it is a Dodd Shop Bass. That would then possibly point to Fendt or Lott Seniors, both of them. Of course both of their sons were considered slightly better makers as far as the Violins go but the 'Dads' were no slouches either. Dodd is reported to have done all of the Varnishing himself. The Varnish is beautiful regardless of who mixed or applied it.