James Perry (luthier) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids James Perry
Séamus de Poire
Violin by Perry, c. 1800
Born	c. 1759 Dublin, Ireland
Died	c. 1810 Kilkenny, Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Education	Thomas Perry
Known for	Luthier
Style	Perry style Stainer style
Movement	Irish school
Patron(s)	Ormonde family

James Perry (born around 1759, died around 1810) was a famous Irish luthier. A luthier is someone who makes or repairs stringed instruments like violins. James Perry was known for crafting beautiful violins, violas, and cellos.

He was born in Dublin and later set up his workshop in Kilkenny. Besides string instruments, he also made guitars, German flutes, fifes, and tenors. It's believed that James Perry made over 1000 instruments during his career! He learned his skills from his older brother, Thomas Perry, who was also a very well-known luthier. James also received support from the powerful Ormonde family who lived at Kilkenny Castle.

James Perry's Early Life

James Perry was born in Dublin around 1759. His father, John Perry, was a musical instrument maker and landowner. James was one of at least three sons who became successful luthiers.

His oldest brother, Thomas, was born around 1738. Thomas started his own workshop in Dublin around the time James was born. He became one of Ireland's most productive luthiers.

Another older brother, John, born around 1747, also became a famous instrument maker. He worked in Belfast starting around 1768. Joseph Perry, who might have been their cousin, was another respected luthier from Dublin.

James also had a sister, Elizabeth. Her son, William Wilkinson, later learned from and worked with James's brother Thomas.

James was likely the youngest in the Perry family, almost 20 years younger than Thomas. Growing up, he was always surrounded by instrument making. His father and two older brothers were already skilled makers by the time James was 10.

It's very likely that James spent a lot of time in the workshop. This probably made him love making instruments from a young age. The area where James grew up in Dublin, near Christ Church, was famous for violin making in the 1700s. Many great makers worked there, like Thomas Molineux and George Ward.

James Perry's Career

Learning the Craft: 1773–1781

James Perry became an apprentice to his brother Thomas in Dublin. This was between 1773 and 1780. By then, Thomas had been working on his own for almost 15 years. He was a very skilled instrument maker.

During his apprenticeship, James learned how to be a luthier. He picked up many of the special techniques used by the Perry family. Throughout his career, James's instruments looked a lot like his brother's early work.

After finishing his training in Dublin, James moved to Kilkenny in 1781. He opened his own shop on a street called Back Lane. Today, that street is known as Saint Kieran's Street.

He might have moved to Kilkenny to avoid competing with his more established brother, Thomas. His other brother, John, had also moved to Belfast for a similar reason. On August 18, 1781, James placed an advertisement in a newspaper called Finn's Leinster Journal. He wanted to let people know about his new business in Kilkenny.

Perry's newspaper advertisement in Finn's Leinster Journal, August 18, 1781.

The advertisement said:

To the LOVERS of MUSIC.
JAMES PERRY, Brother to Thomas Perry, of Anglesea-street, Dublin, now resides in Back-lane, Kilkenny, where he makes and repairs Violins, Guitars, and Tenors, in the best and cheapest Manner ; and hopes to merit the Favour and Protection of his Friends and the Public by the strictest Attention to their Commands.
August 18, 1781.

Working for the Ormonde Family: 1781–1810

Perry's business quickly gained support from the Ormonde family of Kilkenny Castle. Other important families in Kilkenny also became his customers. He became known as a general musical instrument maker. He made and fixed instruments like violins, violas, cellos, guitars, German flutes, fifes, and tenors.

Perry's shop also sold sheet music. This included both old and newly published songs. In 1788, Perry was listed in the Dublin Directories. It said he was a violin, violoncello, and guitar maker at 4 Trinity Street in Dublin. It's possible he often traveled back to Dublin to visit his family. He might have worked from that address during his longer visits.

On July 31, 1792, Perry placed another advertisement in Finn's Leinster Journal. This time, he thanked his customers and the public. He promised to keep serving them well in the future. The advertisement also listed all the different services his shop offered.

Perry's newspaper advertisement in Finn's Leinster Journal, July 31, 1792.

It read:

JAMES PERRY,
Musical Instrument Maker, & Music Seller, Back-lane, Kilkenny,
MOST gratefully returns his sincere Thanks to the Nobility and Gentry of the City and County of Kilkenny, and the Public in general, for the very great and liberal Patronage and Support, with which they have been pleased to Honour him during eleven Years passed in Business—and assures them, that the same assiduous Attention to their Commands, which gained their Favour, shall be constantly attended to.
Having established a Correspondendence with the first Musical Houses in Ireland, he has just laid in and will be constantly supplied with every Article in the Musical Line, as well as that already extant, as every new Production immediately after its Publication. His Violins, Violoncellos, Tenors, Guitars, German Flutes of different Sizes, Fifes, &c he flatters himself will equal those of any other Maker in Ireland. He likewise repairs all the above Instruments—best Roman Violin Strings, Guitar Wire, plain and covered ruled Paper, blank books, &c.
July 31, 1792.

In 1797, an Italian luthier named Vincenzo Panormo came to Ireland. He worked in Cork for three years. In 1799, Panormo moved to Dublin to work for Perry's brother, Thomas. However, a cello found in the National Archives of Ireland has a label saying 'Vincenzo Panormo/fecit Kilkenny/Irelande, 1799'. This suggests Panormo worked in Kilkenny for a short time. He might have stopped there on his way from Cork to Dublin. It's very likely that Panormo made this cello in James Perry's workshop.

By this time, James's workshop was in a part of Kilkenny called Red Lane. He lived in a separate building on Velvet Lane, near St Canice's Cathedral.

We don't know exactly when Perry stopped working or when he died. His last known instrument is from 1810. This suggests he either stopped working or passed away around that time.

James Perry's Style of Instrument Making

Perry's way of making violins was typical of the early Irish school. This style was greatly influenced by the Stainer model. His violins looked very similar to his brother Thomas's earlier instruments. They also resembled those made by George Ward, who Thomas likely learned from.

Perry used a dark brown varnish on his earlier instruments. On his later ones, he used a more golden brown varnish, just like his brother. The f-holes (the S-shaped openings on the front of the instrument) on his instruments had an exaggerated style. They had a small upper swirl, similar to those on instruments made by his brother Thomas and George Ward.

Perry branded his instruments on the back, below the button. He would stamp 'JAMES PERRY/KILKENNY' or 'J PERRY/KILKENNY'. This was another special mark of the Irish school of instrument making.

Compared to his brother Thomas's work, Perry's craftsmanship was thought to be a bit rougher. However, his instruments were known for having an excellent and wonderfully sweet sound. Their sweet tone became very popular with Irish traditional musicians. Some even preferred his instruments over those made by his brother Thomas. Notes from the Kilkenny Archaeological Society in 1953 said he was a "violin maker of great repute." They also noted that "his violins are still used and cherished by Kilkenny folk."

How Many Instruments Did He Make?

It's not known exactly how many instruments James Perry made in his lifetime. Some people say he made about 300 instruments. But this might only refer to stringed instruments.

There are still some Perry instruments today that have numbers higher than 1000. It's likely that Perry reached such a high number by counting all the instruments made in his workshop. This would include smaller instruments like flutes, fifes, and tenors. Perry probably got this numbering idea from his brother, Thomas. Thomas also made a huge number of instruments, likely in the same way.

Here are a few examples of instruments made by James Perry that still exist:

Violins

Violas

Viola d'amores

Cellos

See also

• Thomas Perry (luthier)
• Vincenzo Panormo
• Richard Tobin