This violin comes with a certificate by Benjamin Hebbert with the following text:

IN MY OPINION, the violin illustrated is an authentic eighteenth century English example made by John Carter (fl. 1772-90) who worked chiefly on Drury Lane in London, and it is made around 1780.

Carter was intimately connected with the more famous maker, Richard Duke and instruments by the two are often very hard to distinguish from one and other. The choice of wood for the back, ribs and scroll and the varnish is typical of Duke's work. However, Duke's tendency towards very fine grained spruce is not to be found on this instrument, the scratched purfling is inconsistent with Duke's work and together with elements of the scroll this is overall consistent with the work of John Carter.

The pattern of the violin is very similar to an early mould of the brothers Amati in Cremona from the period around 1610, and is in keeping with both Duke and Carter's preferences for copying classical Italian work, and the quality of the interpretation is much higher than first impressions may suggest. The violin is in a good state of preservation.

See certificate by Benjamin Hebbert : John Carter certificate