"Salvadore De Durro" / B&J New York

[Ken Smith]

I was talking one day to Peter Eibert who worked just before and during the 2nd war for Heinrich Lang and moved in the 60s to NY and worked for Juzek. He told me that after the war (II) Robert Juzek (brother of John) made contracts directly will all the workers that had moved from Shoenbach(CZ) to Beubenruth(GR) to avoid Communist rule. In doing that, his brother John, still there in Czech I think was left out of the business for good. R.Juzek supported the workers of the Wilfer shop, sent them clothing, blue jeans and money to get back to life and business and make them some Basses. I don't know where the Violins thru Cellos came from but probably the same group of people but Wenzle B. Wilfer was the head of the Wilfer firm after the War and I only see his name on basses. I had seen older Basses and Cellos from the 30s by Anton Wilfer. So, yes, nothing rebuilds itself overnight. It takes some time.

[Steve Robinson]

from a 1903 edition of the Music Trade Review.

In the event some future reader of this thread discovers a "Salvadore De Durro" label, here is a long list of direct quotes from the trade publication Music Trade Review that I discovered recently. Samuel Buegeleisen was a regular contributor/subject of this publication, which contains a great deal of information about the marketing hype surrounding "Salvadore de Durro, the famous manufacturer of Liepzig, Germany." I'm no expert, but it's my guess that much of this is marketing hyperbole if not outright fiction. It is interesting, though, and gives a little window to the music marketing practices of the time. Early on, B&J had a contest for crafting a marketing message; another passage outlines how a real person in NYC named his son in honor of the "violin maker," who is also called the "Stradivarius of the twentieth century." Below the quotes are some interesting images, including one of the NYC building that housed B&J for many years (still standing and now the home of Amalgamated Lithographers of America). Enjoy if you're interested and ignore if you ain't.

Note: the MTR scans are available from The International Arcade Museum, and were scanned/digitized with support from NAMM.

Quotes that mention "Salvadore de Durro" from the Music Trade Review 1903-1925

“See that the label bearing the fac-similie signature of Salvadore de Durro, etc., is on each violin; otherwise it is not the genuine article.” 1903

“Signor Savadore de Durro, through his representatives Buegeleisen & Jacobson, 16 East Seventeenth Street, New York, has adopted a novel way of securing an advertizing phrase to exploit his violins and strings--offering a $100 violin, the particulars of which appear on another page of The Review... Salvadore de Durro is spoken of by European artists as the Stradivarius of the twentieth century. His instruments are used in the leading conservatories throughout Europe, where the finest artists of the world receive their finishing studies. Artists of the type of Bakelik and other celebrities have graduated from these institutions.” 1903

“The accompanying portrait is that of Benhahan Durro Strasburger, two-year-old son of a very fine amateur violinist of New York, and who highly endorses the artistic excellence and musical possibilities of the Durro violin. The son here pictured was name in honor of Salvadore de Durro, the famous manufacturer, of Liepzig, Germany... As a matter of fact, many of the Durro violins are now in the possession of artists in the leading orchestras of the country, such as Victor Herbert's New York Orchestra, the orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera House, Theodore Thomas' Chicago Orchestra and others all of whom speak in the highest terms of the violins which seems destined to cut an influential figure in the musical merchandise business of America.” 1904

“The high art violins made by Salvadore de Durro need no introduction. These instruments are now and have been for a long time used in the leading conservatories throughout Europe and have wond high favor among the leading artists of this country.” 1905

“Buegeleisen & Jacobsen, New York, are just advised by Salvadore de Durro, so they state to The Review, that he has an order for a Durro from the violin instructor to the Archduke Antoine and Archduchess Assurta, children of the Archduke Leopold Salvator of Austria. The royal children are taking violin lessons, and their instructor, a notable Austrian virtuoso, said he was so much pleased with the pure tone of his own Durro violin that he wished to give the royal students the correct idea of tone at the outset. Royal families are quite partial to the Durro violins, they added, probably taking the cue from the eminent soloists who play before them.” 1907

“He writes his customer was explicit in demanding a Durro, as he had known the maker in the old country and felt sure anything turned out by Salvadore De Durro is the equal of any respectable old violin and far better than many... This gentleman claims he would rather have his Durro violin than most old violins parading around these days.” 1908

“Arrangements have been made to extend the Durro campaign to every nook and corner of the country, so that violinists, present and future, may know of what the firm describe as ‘the distinctive superiority of the master violins produced by Europe's leading violin craftsman, Salvadore de Durro.’” 1908

“Indeed, the demand for Durro violins, our leading violin line, has increased to an extent that has permitted the addition to the staff of Salvadore de Durro a number of violin craftsmen than whoe there are few equals among those pre-eminent in the art. The result of this acquisition is that Durro violins, while their superiority was always conceded, were never so good in tonal qualities, workmanship and finish as right now.” 1908

“Salvadore Durro for the last three years has given his personal attention to a study of the old masters, owning Strads, Klotz's and other famous makes. With these as models he has reproduced the superb tonal qualities of the original so that even expert musicians cannot tell the difference. In appearance, too, the difference is difficult to distinguish.” 1910

“Buegeleisen & Jacobson, of 5-7-9 Union square, New York, jobbers in the musical merchandise, have received a large shipment of the justly celebrated Durro master violins. These instruments are made and finished by that master craftsman, Salvadore de Durro, personally. The models are copied from genuine old instruments, following their originals to the minutest detail in every particular.” 1920

“There is much romancing, both in fiction and in science, about the soul of the violin. Sentimentalists are sure that some violins have a soul. Scientists test the wood, the varnish, the construction and the age, but artists throughout the world recognize that the great craftsman, Salvadore de Durro, has succeeded for years in capturing that mellow soul-stirring quality of the old Italian masters in the just celebrated Durro Violins.” 1921

“Artists throught the world recognize that the great craftsman, Salvadore de Durro, has succeeded for years in capturing that mellow, soul-stirring quality of the old Italian Masters--in the justly celebrated Durro Violins.” 1921

“DURRO VIOLINS made under the personal supervision of the Master Craftsman Salvadore de Durro, from the finest rare old woods, are exact copies of the instruments made by the old masters and artists throughout the world agree that they have the mellow soul-stirring quality found in the famous old violins.” 1925

Advertisements & Notable Images Concerning "Durro" Violins, Music Trade Review 1903-1925.

This is the portrait of Benhahan Durro Strasburger, mentioned in the 1904 quote above.

[Steve Robinson]

Hey Ken... the catalog reprint I ordered for you arrived (I wanted a peek before I sent it on). The bad news is that it's only a partial reprint and does not contain any violin family instruments, let alone basses. My pals at Elderly put me in touch with their vendor, who is putting me in touch with the owner of the original catalog. I still hope to find out what B&J was putting in their catalog as available instruments.

I'd love to send you the reprint if you still want it, but it only has mandolins, guitars, and banjos in it. Still want it? It's yours if you do.

This place has some images from a slightly earlier B&J catalog, and one page has the Durro violin line. Man, I want to see what they were telling people about the available basses.

Steve

P.S. You mentioned you lived near the B&J building. It's still there; here's a shot of what it looked like then:

[Ken Smith]

My building was diagonally across coming at you. That is the south east corner. I was on the north west corner. I think it's the same building but never looked up at it. My Apartment building was probably just dirt then.. lol

The Car you see is coming up University Place. The cross street is 13th looking eastward.

It's up to you. As you say, not much to look at. Save the stamps for now but thanks for the effort.

[Steve Robinson]

Found some additional information about the Czech basses imported by B&J; I'm posting it here because I thought you might find it useful or interesting. And special thanks to Ken for your history and help with identification. I hope I get to visit your shop one day and buy something from you.






--Steve