Lorraine Bitaud

Lorraine Bitaud working at Matthew Wing's workshop

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Lorraine's grant was in three parts; funding towards the purchase of the book "The British Violin", a donation of wood which she is currently using for a baroque violin based on Andrea Amati that she has seen at the Ashmolean Museum, and a one-week work experience placement with the restorer Matthew Wing in London.  Lorraine writes of this experience: 

"The best part of the grant was for me the one week workshop placement I had with Matthew Wing. Indeed I really would like to become a restorer and working with him was a great experience. I have been able to see really good instruments and we were both doing a through patch. It was really good because I hadn’t done one before and I must admit that I was quite scared about it. But Matthew being one step further than me, I always knew where to go. I really have learnt a lot during that week.  Thank you a lot for all that help, it really is important for me."

The pictures below show the stages of fitting the through patch in a damaged violin.


damage to front

1.  The damage to the front - a worm run has left a hole that needs to be filled

 

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patch area hollowed out

2.  Plate hollowed in preparation for fitting a wood shaving to match the grain of the front

shaving glued in place

3.  Shaving glued in place

 

 

 

repair seen from outside

4.  Outside of front with shaving glued in place

patch fitted

5.  Patch fitted over shaving