ROMANCE OF A VIOLIN

Grey River Argus, 22 June 1925, Page 2

ROMANCE OF A VIOLIN

A VALUABLE INSTRUMENT. CHRISTCHURCH. June 17. A violin which may be worth up to £2500 is at present in the possession of Mr (diaries Horniblow, 101 Al ack worth street, Woolston. The instrument, Which is in a perfect state of preservation, is dated 1670, and is labelled as the work of Guiseppe Guarnerius, son of Andrea Guarneri. of Cremona, 'rim violins of this maker are valued highly. The label in the violin is “Guiseppe Guarnerius.’’ Cremona “1670 J.U.S.” On the left-hand upper corner of the Libel is a little cross, and the last two figures of the date are printed in ink', wTiirh Ims row I faded slightly. The storv cf the old violin is ii; cresting, but probably tin* most iniei''st_ ing part of the history v.:u have to go unrecorded. Tin? instrument was the inherit ml property of a Frenchman who came out io New Zealand because he had consumption. The man was wealthy, and he died over 60 years ago in Rangiora. He gave insfrm : on; that his fortune, roughly £20,000, should be sent to his sister in France, but he asked specially that his violin should not be old. After his death at Rangiora Sir Aliehael Le Fleming and five others decided to make a pool of 10 guineas eacn and raffle the violin for the purpose of paying for the Frenchman’s funeral. The raffle was won by Sir Michael who could not play a note, so the violin finally fell into the hands of Air Horniblow, who, at that time, was managing a place for Sir Michael Le Fleming. Air Horniblow was a keen violinist in hjs younger days and often he has lent his instrument to professionals who, after using it, were loth to give it back to the owner. On one occasion court proceedings had to be threatened before the violin was returned. Air Horniblow, father of Air Charles Horniblow, -was head man for Lord Lyttelton at Tingley, Worcestershire, and it wac after that estate that Hagley Park was named.