Real Stradivari violin from Australia ?

Posted on | December 1, 2008

Both are men of integrity and honesty, and two other elderly
members of the family are still alive to testify of the origins of the
instrument at hand. It was purchased by the grandfather of the deceased
woman @ 1894 as an already secondhand/antique instrument, and was
sporadically and fairly lightly used by a semi-professional piano player, a
member of the family, up until @ 1915, at which time she passed away. Her initials “EH” are penned under the soundpost on the interior of the violin
back.

Her initials “EH” are penned under the sound post on the interior of the violin back. We have a copy of the calling card of the piano merchant from the turn of last century, who sold the violin to the family in question, and who was known to have dabbled in all sorts of musical instruments, including violins, and who traded from the northern C.B.D district of the city of Melbourne in the vicinity of the Italian

“Viggiani Community” of skilled harpists and violinists. The “Viggiani Community” performed as street musicians during the 1880s and 1890s, and eventually settled in the vicinity of the suburb of Carlton (Melbourne’s “Little Italy”). The violin has been virtually unused for the last thirty years, having either remained in its case or been hanging from a household door as an ornament, for that entire period.. The upper reaches of the fingerboard are extremely worn due to use, yet for over 112 years it has hardly had any use whilst in the possession of the family of the present vendors.. It appears that, therefore, the evident wear

(which must have seen at least three or four decades, if not several, of intensive or professional use) must have been incurred prior to @1894..There is evidence at the bridge location, of a much earlier and much smaller bridge, with much squarer feet, than the present Bausch one which came with the violin in @1894, which had, no doubt due to vibration and constant use, worn away the top varnish leaving the imprints of the previous bridge feet quite clearly on the surface.. The shape of the violin body (belly and back), is generally very low and, if it is original, is perhaps reminiscent of Stradivarius’

“Grand Pattern” period subsequent to 1700..In style and finish it resembles remarkably the “Betts” 1704 design, and we have superimposed the “f”-holes with the Betts and found them to be virtually identical. When viewed from the top, the “f”-hole on the right side is about 3mm lower than the “f” hole on the left side, which we recall was a trademark characteristic of Stradivarius’ work.. The scroll work is, once again, identical and just as sharply carved and gauged as the Betts original, and the use of wood such as maple, swiss pine (spruce top) and, perhaps, pear in the purfling, is excellent and beautifully executed though not too close to the instrument edge, and in equidistant measure and Stradivarian style..

Internally, it is impeccable and very clean, with no sign of cheap French or German copy splicing, overlapping or offcut joins in the entire lining work.. The bass bar may perhaps be original and is not extraordinarily long, nor can we tell if it is set at a slight angle or not. The neckline is very straight and almost perfectly inline with the top edge of the violin, and is somewhat longer than the original Italian versions. It must have been grafted at some stage, though so well blended as to remain quite imperceptible, as is the case with other originals.. The back varnish coating appears to be the original coating, yet somewhat thicker than usual, and, if Stradivarius’, perhaps reminiscent of his use of thicker varnish in the latter, and more experimental, period of his life.

The purfling edgework is not as pronounced (dark) as the “Betts”, but the purfling inlay dimension is very similar, as is the distance from the violin edge/lip. The nose and peg-box are also not beyond the realm of authenticity..

There are absolutely no tell-tale markings, “angled nicks” or any signs of manufacturing process/location recognitions such as were employed in Germany and Europe, in particular the famed angled “nicks” which were placed on the bottom lip of Strad copies in Bavaria (Mittenwald) etc..

Observers have commented that the work, even if not Stradivarius’, must have been done by a master’s hand, yet others more qualified have also commented that there was no resemblance to any major French or German copyist…The label lettering, numerics and print type markings, as well as the monogram, are not as bold and black as other copies we have seen, yet are quite distinct and obviously aged. The label wording and format is the same as noted by George Hart in his “The Violin: its famous makers and their imitators” (section VI, “Italian Makers”, under “Stradivari Antonio”) and the classic example depicted on page 7 of Sherman, Clay & Co’s  “Catalogue of Old Violins”…

The final two digits are hand written by, what appears, a somewhat “feeble” hand, and we are having difficulties in deciphering them.. The hand appears thicker than a French, yet thinner and less sharper than a German, though we are not expert enough to really tell. We believe the stylised final two handwritten digits are most likely “34″ or “32”; the final “4″ or “2” being of an unusual execution, while the supposed number “3″ is shaped like a classic “B”. If this was the case, the full date would therefore read as “1734″ or “1732”.. The somewhat darker areas of the top and belly appear genuinely aged, rather than artificially treated..

The body is exactly 14 inches in length, and in proportions similar to the “Betts”…. The symmetry is sweet and clean, and the “f”-holes gently ease into the lower slopes of the belly with considerable grace. This violin certainly could not have been made by some German or Eastern European farmer in his spare time during winter repasts.

We are seeking genuine, honest and experienced advice as to the instrument’s possible authenticity.. We can be contacted on the following phone numbers should more photographs or details, including photos of the two bows and coffin-case, be required. The bows are both fairly short, about three and a half span long, and the coffin-case is undoubtedly aged, though perhaps not as old as the violin itself, and made from what appears to be a European pine. The photographs were not taken in natural light and the pigment and hues depicted do not do complete justice to the original instrument..

CONTACT ME  if u want to buy it or authenticate it.

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