Viola, cello and violins made by AE Smith

Mrs EV Llewellyn collection

Viola, cello and violins made by AE Smith

Arthur E Smith, one of the best violin-makers of the twentieth century, was born in England in 1880. His fascination with violin-making began because he was dissatisfied with the cheap violin he owned, so he attempted to make one of his own.

Smith completed his apprenticeship in England but soon realised there weren't many opportunities for him to establish his own business. In 1909, he sailed for Australia and set up a small business repairing and restoring instruments, first in Melbourne and later in Sydney. It was at his workshop in Hunter Street, Sydney, that Smith developed a reputation for fine workmanship. He experimented with Australian timber and also produced his own varnish, which remains a family secret.

AE Smith was an instrument maker with an international reputation. During his lifetime, he made about 210 instruments. He has been revered by world famous violinists such as Isaac Stern and Yehudi Menuhin, and his violins have found homes all around the world.

Prior to his death in 1978, Smith's string quartet made between 1946 and 1954, consisting of a viola, cello and two violins, was acquired for the National Historical Collection.