IS IT AN ORIGINAL?

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 102, 2 May 1931, Page 12

IS IT AN ORIGINAL?

STRAD VIOLIN NEAR FEILDING TRACED FOR 100 YEARS. i ' BROUGHT OUT IN 'EIGHTIES. I \ ■ A violin which it has been suggested is an original Stradivarius, nearly two centuries old, is reported to have been discovered at Colyton, a village near Feilding. It is stated that the violin has every characteristic that can be ascribed to an instrument made by the great Antonio Stradivari of' Cremona, a small town in Lombardy, North Italy. The label bears the date 1732, and the master's mark—a Maltese Cross above the initials A.S., within a double circle. Although its history is, somewhat obscure the owner, Miss Winifred Wales, is able to' trace the existence of the violin for the last 100 years. According to a letter to hand Miss Wales states that "it was brought from England to New Zealand by a certain Mr. Dunkerton during the 'eighties" and fell into her father's hands 30 years ago. When it was cleaned sonic 10 years ago it was authoritatively stated that the instrument was over 150 years old. The varnish is "of a very fine variety of amber," darkened considerably by a long period of mis-use, but still presenting that glass-like appearance, which is an attribute peculiar to the old masters. The violin has retained a particularly, fine tone, and seems to have suffered little through the handling it Las received. However, even with these credentials, it is more than possible that the violin is merely a copy of one of the violins mado by Antonio Stradivari. There are at the moment more than a million violins in existence all duly ticketed with the Strad. label, and this label has, in the majority of cases, no significance whatever, except to indicate the model which the maker has followed in making his violin. Antonio Stradivari' lived from 1644 to 1737, and first took up residence at Cremona in ltiGG. This town was the noted centre of the time for music and art. For two centuries the violin-making art flourished there, and its instruments found their way all over the world. Stradivari became the pupil of Andrew Amati, founder of the great Cre- ,

moneso. school, and developed the art to consummation. Of the estimated 2000 violins that he made during his life-time barely fifty per cent are accounted for, the remainder either having been lost for all time or still waiting to be discovered in back street'shops, tenement houses, or other overlooked places. Some Of the prices realised for the genuine instruments are exorbitant, and each year finds some new record figure reached. Thousands of pounds are now expended upon a Stradivarius or a Guarnerius. (a. violin made by a fellow worker to Stradivari, and believed by some, to excel him); it is stated that over 20 years ago the ex-Kaiser paid nearly £10,000 for a pair of Strads., and many times this amount has bceu exceeded. That the secret of the great masters' ability to make faultless violins has been lost has often been' debated, but one thing is certain: his recipe for the varnish which produced those marvellously rich amber tones or light reds, is destroyed, and one has yet to be found which will produce a varnish equal to those used on the Cremonese violins.