Cello by Walter Whitaker, Dewsbury, 1935
This cello has now sold.
About Walter Whitaker
Walter Whitaker was born in Dewsbury in 1889 and was apprenticed as a cabinet maker. Like so many of his generation, Whitaker served in World War I, seeing action in both France and Flanders.
Satisfyingly, Whitaker also played the violin: this musical interest met with his skill as a furniture maker to produce a very lovely cello indeed! Walter Whitaker died in 1958 and is buried in Dewsbury Cemetery.
About the cello
The cello was made in 1935 in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. It is built on a personal model with the influence of the Guarneri family being seen in the lovely bold edgework and more generally in the arching and outline.
The cello has a two piece back of medium-flamed maple, the flame descending slightly from the centre joint. The ribs are of especially highly figured, beautiful maple. The front is two pieces of medium-grained spruce. The attractive varnish is a rich, chocolate brown colour.
The cello has a length of back of 752 mm or 29 and 5/8th inches.
How does it sound?
True to its inspiration, this cello has a fair bit of that thick, dark Guarneri sound. The bottom is full and fruity and the A string is particularly muscular. This is a really lovely sounding instrument with loads of colour, depth and projection. The cello is very responsive and is quick to react to changes in expression and bowing.
Condition
The cello is in very good restored condition. It is inscribed `Walter Whitaker, maker, Dewsbury, Yorks., 1935´ internally on the back.