Talk of Fakes (or Antiqued newer Basses) came up......

[Ken Smith]

"Oh what tangled webs we weave when first we practice to deceive", Shakespeare.?

In the Morris book of British makes at the end of the chapter on BF Fendt II, he writes, and I 'quote';

"Oh what a tangled web we weave When first we practice to deceive!"

Slightly different but I never knew its origin 'till now.

The English made actual fakes over 150 years ago but we seem now to mainly point the finger at the Gypsy's. The Morris Book was written about a century ago originally. My book is an original second edition from 1920. At that point in time, the Fendt's were viewed as criminals for the most part. Today, we think of them as the most clever workman ever to work the British Isles. These are the sons of Bernhardt Fendt I. Also in that mix add the son of his pupil John Lott I which is JF Lott Jr. aka Jack Lott. Between the 2nd generation of London makers of the Fendts and Jack Lott, we have many a crooked fiddle roaming around. Some of the Basses made back then were antiqued as well but rarely. After 150-200 years, they are actually very old. My own Hart bass is from that era and looks ages older than my Violincello grade Gilkes Bass which was made with the most transperant high grade Varnish of its time. The crackled Red over the Gold makes the Hart look from a distance like a real Maggini, not just a model. I have seen a Kennedy Bass like this as well.