Henry Lockey Hill violin, London, c1820

Henry Lockey Hill was the second generation maker of a remarkable English family of luthiers and violin experts, with his son William Ebsworth founding the flagship firm. W.E. Hill and Sons. Henry Lockey was the first of his family to fully absorb the style and principles of Stradivari as exemplified in this fine example. The tone has a strong core, with richness and depth through all registers, and an ease, boldness and resonance along with colour and character, that make it a great concert violin, easily competing in quality to instrument twice its asking price.