The San Francisco call., 1896-05-16
GREATEST VIOLIN
IN THE WORLD,
Achille Rivarde Says It
Was Made. in San
Francisco.
REAL CREMONA VARNISH
He Declares that the Ideal of
Europe Exists in San
Francisco.
WILL PLAY THE VIOLIN HERE.
The Great Artist Amazed to Find
Such Genius in the Heart of
So Young a City.
WILL PLAY THE VIOLIN HERE.

| Ooh rIdHClSCO mas one OF the nneSt
vlolins in the world and varnish manu-
factured by local lover of art, the equal
OF whlch has never been made since the
days OF the celebrated Italian masters. At
least so declares Achille Rivarde, who has
played before the crowned heads of Eu-
rope and would seem to be responsible for
the truth of his utterances.
II am astonished," ne said; "astonished
beyond all measure. L have been on the
tiptoe of excitement during the last three
days, and even yet can scarcely accredit
the evidence of my senses. L will tell you
all about it-how discovered the violin
and the varnish as well. 1t was in this
wise:
AS you know, l was given a reception a
short time ago at the Bohemian Club.
There met a man named c. D. Robinson,
who very modestly acquainted me with
the fact that he had what he thought was
a superior varnish for violins, and invited
me to his house to see it.
"Never dreaming that so grand a dis
covery lay before me, l acquiesced and
called upon him.
ITO say that l was astonished would be
to put it mildly. 1 was amazed. l was
simply enraptured.
This mans varnish is equal to the
'Strad' varnish, the very finest of the Gre
monas. This may sound strange and seem
almost incom prehensible, but it is as true
as that am alive and speaking to you
now."
Here the masters excitement got the
better of him, and he rose and neryously
paced the floor.
"Do you know" he vehemently ejacu-
lated, THAT l saw violins vanished by
this man, and it was piling wonder on top
of wonder?
at was not done like ordinary violin
makers would do, but it was done artisti-
cally. Laying the quality of the varnish
entirely aside, it was executed in a man
ner that would have elected my delight if
l had been in Europe.
This varnish was not made chemically,
as is commonly done, but of the very
finest gums. which must have come from
foreign countries.
"After showing me the various warm
ishes Robinson said: Il have something
in store that | am convinced will cause
even you to wonder. l have been waiting
for some one whom believed would ap-
preciate it for years.
And then he took me to man named
Bronson, in an obscure place on Clay
street, and there l saw in the white wood
the most marvellous copy of Guenarius L
l ever saw In all my life.
1.-The agility 1 displayed in laying my
hands on that violin and paying the price
asked for it on the spot makes me laugh
whenever l think of it."
Rivarde paused and chuckled audibly
His countenance wore the same beatitic
expression seen on that of child who
had just been especially favored by Santa
Claus.
AZ handed it Immediately to Mr.. Robin
son." he continued, land asked that, as
an especial favor, he would varnish it for
me. You know the finest violin in the
world can be utterly ruined by a poor
9 varnish."
"With two or three years practice on
this violin / expect to have one of the
, finest instruments made either in olden OF
d, modern times.
when l play with this violin in Eu-
, rope l expect it to render the maker and
the varnisher famous. This Robinson is
! one of the greatest cOnnoisseurs or dilet
: tantes, whichever you wish to call him.
I have ever seen. He talks in the most in.
telligent and true way of instruments anC
their history | have ever heard. In my
v opinion, he is one of the three greatest
/ Iconnoisseurs in the world. The others are
o a Mr.. Smith of Chicago and Mr.. Cloptor
of New York"
+ In his enthusiasm Rivarde frequently
4 mixed the manufacturer of the varnist
I and the maker of the violin together in
r way that defed elucidation, and would
r have to be asked to speak of them sepa
: rately.
"If give an extra recital here, which i!
most probable" he said, ~ shall certain ly
play a piece upon this violin. In all 1t.
details 1t is the finest type of the Guen
! arins and San Franciscans will be as won
5 der-stricken as 1 am.
at has the largest tone of any violin
l ever heard, and when it is seasoned it viii
gain a vast deal in melIowness, and viii
: be the fine st instrument in the world for G
soloist."
Returning to the men again, he said:
e "Why, the modesty of these men il
1 such that l was dumfounded when l saw
. these things"
! And then he came around to what he
: thought would be skepticism on the par1
, of the public, saving:
1 because
San Francisco is new City in newly
{ settled country and has not attained the
| high plane in art that comes with age
! To find such an instrument and such var
3 nish here / never dreamed Of Europe
will have good lesson by this.
. why these things have never been dis
covered before Is simply inexpIicable
Men have been endeavoring TO equal tn,
: Cremona varnish for years and years, bu
e even in Europe they have come far from
perfection. This man tells me he ha
/ been hunting for this varnish for years, and
, one thing can vouch for-he has founC
it,
By this time the violinist had calmeC
down sufficiently to talk calmly. but the
loss of enthusiasm in his manner in M
|, wise detracted from his earnestness.
!, Just you wait" he said, in conclusion
: IT'LL the San Franciscans have heard this
: | instrument speak to them and If they dr