POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Luthier tools used by Chic Denny

Object No. 2005/123/1

One of the strengths of the Powerhouse Museum's music collection are items relating to violin and bowed string instrument making in Australia. This not only includes the actual instruments but also the means of production such as tools and accessaries used by instrument makers. The collection currently holds tools relating to violin makers in particular as well as several partly completed instruments. Double bass makers in Australia have been few and far between as have repairers who specialise in double bass repair. That being said Australia's earliest professional violin maker, John Devereux specialised in double bass making and repair as well as other instruments and was also known to have played the double bass. These clamps were used in the repair of double basses by Sydney repairer, Chic Denny who worked both as a musician and repairer in Sydney for over 40 years. Francis "Chic" Denny was one of the few musical instrument repairers in Sydney during the twentieth century specialising in repair work of double basses. Although self taught he was a friend of Phillip Burgess (who had worked for many years for AE Smith). Denny was a musician who played in several bands in Sydney and did repair work for many professional bass players. Born in 1921 he began repairing double basses at the age of 18. Although Denny did his repair work from his home in Lane Cove he also worked at Palings for 30 years and later at CBS. He died in 1997.