"Bernhard Fendt was born in Innsbruck, in the Tyrol, 1776.  Nephew and pupil of Francois Fent of Paris, with whom he went to live in his 7th year.  Came to London, 1798, and worked eleven years with Thomas Dodd, having J F. Lott on the next bench.  Employed by John Betts, 1800.  Died in Aylesbury Street, Clerkenwell, 1832, and was buried in Clerkenwell Churchyard.  Though greatly employing the Strad model, his instruments have some individuality.  All are quite refined.  Every detail highly finished.  Scroll and sound holes well carved, purfling finely carried out.  Tone is of exquisite quality, rather Cremonese in the opinion of some.  Orange brown shade of varnish, quite beautiful.   Remarkable graduation of the plates has undoubtedly had its fullest allotment in the verdant field of tone--a tone quite Italian in quality."

Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers by William Henley