Arnold Dolmetsch (1858-1940) was one of the most prominent figures in the first wave of the early music revival.  While trained in his youth as a violinist, he grew increasingly interested in the music of previous centuries, and by the end of the 1880s he had obtained his first historical instrument, a 1736 viola d’amore by Carlo Testore. In the years that followed, Dolmetsch acquired a wide variety of instruments, including a chest of viols, several early keyboard instruments, and a 1598 lute by Michielle Harton. He soon began to augment this collection with instruments of his own construction: first a lute in 1893, followed by a series of clavichords, and, in 1896, a harpsichord. By the turn of 20th century, he had over 40 instruments, many of which made regular appearances at his concerts and lectures. This chapter provides an overview of Dolmetsch’s early collecting activities, making extensive use of the records from his 1901 bankruptcy trial.  It also explores the role his instruments played in support his various activities as a performer, teacher, scholar, and instrument builder.