ROMANCE OF A STRADIVRIUAS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12654, 7 September 1904, Page 1 (Supplement)

ROMANCE OF A STRADIVRIUAS.

, A BEHAfiKAME story attaches to the Antonius Stradivari us violin which was sold ■ at -Messrs. Put tick and Simpson's galleries , -recently for £700. ' v o-day the coveted possession of thousands of gifted musicians, 35 years ago it was the instrument of a humble street-player, picked up by him foi 255, • r 'i' ! , to coax coppers from the' reluctant pockets ot the passers-by. So lightly did -• Jack the laiutor esteem his treasure that he took it. to pieces and when it finally came hands which knew its value the traces ot nis handiwork were seen in the shape of glue a? black as pitch, both inside and outside the violin. The instrument, the genuineness of which was guaranteed bv a xell-known firm, bears a label the date" on which.looks like 1721, though the style of the wo !.^-P oi T ts ' to a later date, probably 1728 ° r mi . • Tt IS re » ut<? d to possess a fine'tone. _.ihe history of the violin is as follows: — Between 1860 and 1870 a man named Morgan carried . 011 a business in Crawford-street, Alaryiebone, as a music-seller One day a footman entered the shop and wished to purchase a concertina for 255, for which he offered in exchange the violin now sold, an titter which Morgan refused to accept. A man called "Jack the Painter," who played in.the streets in the winter, was in the shop at the time buying a string. He said that he would take the fiddle at 555, and asked i Morgan to give the man the concertina. lho bargain was made, and for some years 1 ' Jack the Painter" played on the violin about the streets, more particularly the disi tricts of Netting Hill and Marvlebono. Kventually he brought the violin to Mr. W. I - . Hill and sold it to him for £25, this being what lie asked for it. though' fully of what he had. The violin was sold by Mr. Hill, on condition that he should put | it. into prowr order, for £80 to Mr. David I l.mmc, nd eventually became the proI perty of Mr. (!. A. \V. Turner, of Stockport ] by whom il was sold.