Heron-Allen, Edward, 1861-1943. New York: Dover, 1963. In 1990, the 1720 Red Mendelssohn was sold for $1.7 million. [24][25][26] The Sinsheimer/Iselin was stolen in Hanover, Germany in 2008 and recovered in 2009. These violins and instruments are considered the finest ever made and continue to be the standard in form, sound and beauty. Therefore, the presence of a Stradivarius label in a violin has no bearing on whether the instrument is a genuine work of Stradivari himself. [57], While only about 650 original Stradivari instruments (harps, guitars, violas, cellos, violins) survive, thousands of violins have been made in tribute to Stradivari, copying his model and bearing labels that read "Stradivarius" on them. In April of 2007, the 1729 Soloman ex-Lambert was sold at Christie’s for $2.7 million to an anonymous bidder. Antonio Stradivari was born in 1644, and established his shop in Cremona, Italy, where he remained active until his death in 1737. 6th ed. Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England: Amati Publishing, Ltd. 1997. 5 vols. [1][11], A comparative study published in "PLOS ONE" in 2008[12] found no significant differences in median densities between modern and classical violins, or between classical violins from different origins; instead the survey of several modern and classical examples of violins highlighted a notable distinction when comparing density differentials. In a 2009 study co-authored with Renald Guillemette and Clifford Spiegelman, Nagyvary obtained shavings from a Stradivarius violin and examined them, and analysis indicated they contained "borax, fluorides, chromium and iron salts. Stradivarius.org celebrates Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737) and his masterpieces, most notably his violins and cellos. In May 2006, Antonio Stradivari’s 1707 Hammer violin was sold for $3,544,000, achieving a world record for any musical instrument sold at that time. [51] Two researchers – University of Tennessee tree-ring scientist Henri Grissino-Mayer and Lloyd Burckle, a Columbia University climatologist – published their conclusions supporting the theory on increased wood density in the journal Dendrochronologia. [1][2][3] The fame of Stradivarius instruments is widespread, appearing in numerous works of fiction. [1] As well, the violin makers applied varnishes to their instruments. Goodkind, Herbert K. Violin Iconography of Antonio Stradivari, 1644-1737: Treatises on the Life and Work of the Patriarch of the Violinmakers. ", "Chemical distinctions between Stradivari's maple and modern tonewood", "The Brilliance of a Stradivari Violin Might Rest Within Its Wood", "The varnished truth about a Stradivarius", "The Nature of the Extraordinary Finish of Stradivari's Instruments", "A Comparison of Wood Density between Classical Cremonese and Modern Violins", "Wood Densitometry in 17th and 18th Century Dutch, German, Austrian and French Violins, Compared to Classical Cremonese and Modern Violins", "Cozio.com: violin by Antonio Stradivari, 1697 (Molitor)", "Austin violinist Anne Akiko Meyers buys rare Stradivarius for record-setting $3.6 million", "Tarisio, October 2010 (New York) – Lot 467", "Stradivarius Nets $16M for Japan Quake Relief", "Sale of rare Stradivari viola could set world auction record", "The World's Most Expensive Instrument Just Got Slightly Cheaper", "The $5 Million Violin and the Telltale Taser: Inside an Epically Stupid Crime", "Roman Totenberg: Violinist who claimed rival musician stole his Stradivarius is vindicated three years after his death", "Cello by Antonio Stradivari, 1684 (General Kyd; ex-Leo Stern)", "Violin by Antonio Stradivari, 1721 (Sinsheimer; Iselin)", "Multi-million dollar violin stolen from Milwaukee Symphony performer", "Stolen Stradivarius violin found in suitcase in Milwaukee attic", "Violin by Antonio Stradivari, 1714 (Le Maurien)", "Violin by Antonio Stradivari, 1712 (Karpilowsky)", "Player preferences among new and old violin", "Soloist evaluations of six Old Italian and six new violins", "Fungus-Treated Violin Outdoes Stradivarius", "Superior wood for violins – wood decay fungi as a substitute for cold climate", "Violinists can't tell the difference between Stradivarius violins and new ones", "In Classic vs. Modern Violins, Beauty Is in Ear of the Beholder", "Listener evaluations of new and Old Italian violins", "Cool weather may be Stradivarius' secret", "Did "Little Ice Age" Create Stradivarius Violins' Famous Tone? How does one set a price on a genuine Stradivarius instrument? These results suggest that differences in density differentials in the material may have played a significant role in the sound production of classical violins. The two violinists were allowed to play all the instruments first. Chicago: Lyon & Healy, 1909. [27] the Lipinski Stradivarius was stolen in an armed robbery on 27 January 2014[28] and subsequently recovered. 1902. For example, Christian Tetzlaff formerly played "a quite famous Strad", but switched to a violin made in 2002 by Stefan-Peter Greiner. 18 grudnia 1737 tamże) – włoski lutnik, przedstawiciel kremońskiej szkoły lutniczej, jeden z najwybitniejszych budowniczych instrumentów w historii lutnictwa. [23] In recent years, the General Kyd Stradivarius was stolen in 2004. Two of the listeners identified the 20th-century violin as the Stradivarius. In 1998, Russian violinist Maxim Vengerov purchased the 1727 Kreutzer for nearly $1.6 million. Prepared by the Division of Music, Sports and Entertainment in cooperation with Public Inquiry Services, Smithsonian Institution Vice magazine reported in May 2013 that "in recent years, Stradivarius investment funds have started to appear, pushing already astronomical prices even higher". Stradivari made his instruments using an inner form, unlike the French copyists, such as Vuillaume, who employed an outer form. Frankfurt am Main: Frankfurter Verlags-Anstalt, 1922. About 650 of these instruments survive today. [36][37] In a particularly famous test on a BBC Radio 3 programme in 1977, the violinists Isaac Stern and Pinchas Zukerman and the violin expert and dealer Charles Beare tried to distinguish between the "Chaconne" Stradivarius, a 1739 Guarneri del Gesú, an 1846 Vuillaume, and a 1976 British violin played behind a screen by a professional soloist. Lyon & Healy. Violin-making, as it Was and Is: Being a Historical, Theoretical, and Practical Treatise on the Science and Art of Violin-making for the Use of Violin Makers and Players, Amateur and Professional. Reprint. Steven Sirr, a radiologist, worked with researchers to perform a CT scan of a Stradivari known as the "Betts". Over the centuries, numerous theories have been presented – and debunked – including an assertion that the wood was salvaged from old cathedrals. The majority (113) of the listeners misidentified the winning violin as the Stradivarius. After examining the violins with X-rays, the researchers found that these violins all have extremely consistent density, with relatively low variation in the apparent growth patterns of the trees that produced this wood.[12]. Hill, William Henry, Arthur Frederick Hill, and Alfred Ebsworth Hill. One of Rhonheimer's violins, made with wood that the Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) researcher Francis Schwarze had treated with fungi, received 90 of the 180 votes for the best tone, while the Stradivarius came second with 39 votes. Lutgendorff, Willibald Leo, Freiherr von. About 650 of these instruments survive today. Various attempts at explaining these supposed qualities have been undertaken, most results being unsuccessful or inconclusive. Some believe that he was the apprentice of Nicolo Amati, the grandson of violin maker Andrea Amati (1511-1577). How does one set a price on a genuine Stradivarius instrument? 5th ed. Considering if sold below its upper price range, it’s a relative bargain. New York: W.W. Norton, 1989. The earliest known Stradivarius violin was made in 1666, when Stradivari was only twenty-two. ed. The New Grove Violin Family. 3 vols. American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers, Inc. General Information on Violin Authentication and Appraisals.