A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Stainer, Marcus

by Edward John Payne

STAINER, Marcus, brother of the last-mentioned, a celebrated Tyrolese violin-maker. Mark Stainer learned his trade from Jacob, and set up for himself at the village of Laufen. The famous Florentine player Veracini had two violins by this maker, christened 'St. Peter' and 'St. Paul,' and he reckoned them superior to all Italian violins. In sailing from London to Leghorn in 1746 Veracini was shipwrecked and the fiddles were lost. The instruments of this maker are extremely rare. They are made of unusually fine material, covered with dark varnish, of somewhat large size, and are sweet though decidedly feeble in tone. Like those of Jacob Stainer, they usually contain written labels. One of these runs thus: 'Marcus Stainer, Bürger und Geigenmacher in Küfstein anno 1659.' Occasionally Marcus Stainer yielded to an obvious temptation, and sold his violins under the name of his more famous brother.'

[ E. J. P. ]