, 1874-09-06


To the Editor a The Chicago Tribune:
S1A: In the article from Lippincons Mdgn-
nine, under the ti1lc Of 'Stradiyarius aud HIS
Violins," which you copied in your issue of the
a5th ult, it is set down that - The highest price
ever paid for violin vas given for one mada by
Stradiysrius which was sold in 1856 for its
tceiqht ii, gold - This is an astounding state
nent from writer for popular magazine I
will better it by saying thst music-house of
this city last spring, sold to Al amatour vionnist
aleo OF this city, genuine "Sanctus Seraphin y
violin for more than lts weight in I'LL metals
known to onr curreucy.-gold silver, nickel,
and copper,-and it Was not good
season for old violins either. The instrument
was one OF ra1o excellence, OF peculiar and
unique pattern, and the only one Of it's Kind
have seen in this country. It WAS bought for d
Judge in one OF our Courts, who probably is n
Judge Of violin as we'll as Of q case in court
One year after the Great Fire, gentleman OF
Chicago received from well-kuown dealer in
London nicholas Anah" violin, Of the large
or 'g1and" pattern, for which was paid moro
than twice it's weight in gold
fact or two will extract whatever Of the
marvellous there may seem TO be in tho
above. Tho average weight Of 7iolins is
less than pound ayoirdupoia, Or about
lax ounces Reckoning \ pound Voght
OF gold at 9240, tho matter becomes simple
enough, and these statements in regard to
prices come within easy reach OF the cautious
faith OF the most incredulous. But what shall
be said OF the intelligence Of this magazine
writer, who, in the sarno article, speaks Of the
sale Of another violin 3, 800 francs, or nearly
throe times its weight in gold and that, while
Stradivartus' usual price for his violins was 10
francs. the Same Instruments would bring To-
dav from $500 to ga 600?
Genuine violins Of my Of the old masters, OF
good quality, and in good state OF preservar
ton, have for many year5 been sold It VARIOUS
prices, running high up into the hundreds, and
occasionally 10 Thousands Of dollars Nor il this
1t all remarkable or tho prices eztravagaut. II
Bonner or Smith (who il Smith y will pay
many thousands Of dollars for rare specimen
OF an animal, the average price OF which IL per-
haps less than $500. why should not wealthy
lover Of music bid equally high for tho POSSES
sion Of an instrument az rare III its excellence
as Dexter and Goldsmith Maid arc in thcirs
Il there is more OF good sense and good taste in
the one case than in the other, I leave it fol
others to decide with which it rests.
Time and careful use ara thu only known
agencies for the developing and pe1fectIug the
tone OF stringed instruments OF the violin family
and tncao arc effective for only limited number
out Of tho many that arc made. So long - thlf
remains true, good old vlolins will continue te
command high prices, and, es the rapid increase
in the number of good violinists is creating = DC.
mand for good vloilns much beyond the supply
pr1ces ere likely to go higher rather than lower
at least for yearH to come.
But there is little doubt but that tho best
yiolin-tnakorh Of tbs present day aro 1naslng oet
ter instruments than tho very best OF those
made by the old masters and which are ,, nov q
assume this from the general advance LII al
| skilled labor during the past 200 years; nnd {