What Makes a Stradivarius a REAL Strad? Posted 9/4/2008 11:07:21 AM Antonio Stradivari was born in 1644, and established his shop in Cremona, Italy, where he remained active until his death in 1737. His interpretation of geometry and design for the violin has served as a conceptual model for violin makers for more than 250 years. Stradivari also made harps, guitars, violas, and cellos--more than 1,100 instruments in all, by current estimate. About 650 of these instruments survive today. In addition, thousands of violins have been made in tribute to Stradivari, copying his model and bearing labels that read "Stradivarius." Therefore, the presence of a Stradivarius label in a violin has no bearing on whether the instrument is a genuine work of Stradivari himself. The usual label, whether genuine or false, uses the Latin inscription Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis Faciebat Anno [date]. This inscription indicates the maker (Antonio Stradivari), the town (Cremona), and "made in the year," followed by a date that is either printed or handwritten. Copies made after 1891 may also have a country of origin printed in English at the bottom of the label, such as "Made in Czechoslovakia," or simply "Germany." Such identification was required after 1891 by United States regulations on imported goods. Thousands upon thousands of violins were made in the 19th century as inexpensive copies of the products of great Italian masters of the 17th and 18th centuries. Affixing a label with the master’s name was not intended to deceive the purchaser but rather to indicate the model around which an instrument was designed. At that time, the purchaser knew he was buying an inexpensive violin and accepted the label as a reference to its derivation. As people rediscover these instruments today, the knowledge of where they came from is lost, and the labels can be misleading. A violin's authenticity (i.e., whether it is the product of the maker whose label or signature it bears) can only be determined through comparative study of design, model wood characteristics, and varnish texture. This expertise is gained through examination of hundreds or even thousands of instruments, and there is no substitute for an experienced eye. (2) Comments

The Guarnerius Family of Italian Violinmakers Posted 9/4/2008 11:06:12 AM The most illustrious member of this famous family of violin makers was Bartolomeo Giuseppe Guarneri (Cremona, Italy, 1698-1744), the fifth and last member of the family, grandson of Andrea, son of Giuseppe Giovanni Battista. He is more familiarly known as Joseph Guarnerius del Gesu. Guarnerius is the Latin form of the family name and Joseph the Hebrew form of Giuseppe. The addition of "del Gesu" to the name and the Greek abbreviation for Jesus (IHS) beneath a cross on the labels indicate veneration for the Holy Name. The outline of his violins, with slight modifications, is founded on instruments of Antonio Stradivari. Modeling of the back and table are noticeably flattened, seemingly inspired by Maggini. The F holes are of Stradivari form but are usually elongated, more open, and less refined. The carefully applied oil varnish is soft in quality and of light texture, with the color varying between pale orange and orange-brown with, occasionally, a reddish tint. The length of the body is usually 13 7/8", sometimes 1/16" less. The estimate of his total production is not more than 250 violins; there is no positive evidence that he made instruments in any other form, although some violas and at least one violoncello are attributed to him. Approximately 150 violins are known to exist. Stradivari and Guarnerius are ranked as the greatest of violin makers, and some fine violinists prefer the instruments of Joseph Guarnerius del Gesu to those of Stradivari. (0) Comments

Could Fungus Play a Role in the Sound of a Stradivarius? Posted 9/4/2008 11:04:50 AM Scientists at Texas A&M University here think they have discovered why a Stradivarius violin sounds so sweet: It has a microscopic fungus growing in the wood. Joseph Nagyvary, a professor of biophysics and biochemistry, found traces of the fungus embedded in wood samples taken from violins made by Stradivari, Guarneri and other Italian craftsmen of the 17th and 18th centuries. Professor Nagyvary theorized that the great violin makers used wood soaked in water rather than dry, seasoned wood, as commonly believed. The water fungi altered the shape of the wood cells and gave the violins a rich, distinctive sound. He has commissioned craftsmen in Bulgaria, Hungary and Italy to try to duplicate the tonal quality of the old violins by using wood immersed in water containing the same ratios of calcium, potassium and sodium. (0) Comments

Prices of Important Violins Continue to Rise Posted 9/4/2008 11:01:18 AM Over the past two three years the demand for the finest stringed instruments, especially those made by the two supreme violin makers Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù, has increased dramatically to the level never seen before. Consequently the prices of these finest instruments are soaring and are destined to dramatically increase even more. This unprecedented development makes investments in outstanding antique violins even more sought-after wealth preserving and wealth-increasing niche then at any time before. The development of the market during the last decade and especially in 2006 makes investment in rare stringed instruments a niche that none of the serious investors can ignore. In the past six months the intensity of buying the finest instruments has been the most dramatic in the history of the field. During this short period there were sold more top fine violins then in the past four years. Over the years investing in fine rare stringed instruments has proved to be a very safe, profitable and stable investment chosen by musicians, collectors and knowledgeable private and institutional investors alike. The rare stringed instruments have not only steadily increased in value over decades, but their value has never decreased. Most of the rare stringed instruments have been in active use by distinguished musicians for centuries because they have been absolutely essential to their careers. This unique “functionality” factor makes the rare stringed instruments a very distinctive asset unlike any other commodity or stock and further increases the demand and the value of these precious instruments. (1) Comments

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General Comments magicalmysterytour Posted 9/24/2008 10:35:37 AM hi welcome to newblog Please login to post a comment.