The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-09

One OF the interesting people OF the
Meiba Opera Company Is Ssgnor Joseph
De Bona. diminutiye but very ener-
getic gentleman OF Italian b.ood and OF
strong proeIirities for gathering to him.
self all Of the rare old vioiins he meets in
his travels and adding them to his al
ready large and very valuable collection.
De Bona has lived in New York for nearly
twenty years. During all that time and
also during his residence in Italy DE Bona
has gathered ancient and rare vioiins.
eeilos and vioas until he now owns nearly
enough to supply all the men In the or
ehestra which accompanied Melba and her
singers Saturday night a, the Seattle
fheat%r.
DE Bona is recognized among musicians
all over the country as an authority on
string instruments. lie n a pupil of Ferd-
inando Pinto. the great Italian master and
when Ignto died his pupil purchased all
OF his CFsnonas which his excheQuer
would permit. With these instruments as
nucleus. some CT them almost above
price In their beauty OF tone and work
nanship. De Bona has been gathering
victims STEADILY fer more .han q quarter
OF century.
Many OF the performers In the magniA-
cent orchestra OF the Damrosch- Ellis COM
pany played on Instruments owned by De
Bona. In the prelude 10 the last act OF
"hs Trayiata" Rudolph Rissland. the
arst violin. played on an Agnati OF an
early period IN the masters career, valued
at Saoa. Other instruments In the or
chestfa owned by DE Bona were a Joseph
Guauerinz, valued at $Se a genuine
Guadngninf pupil OF Stradivarius) worth.
according TO the estimate of connosseurs,
fSHf n rsr al rfr1rt nd ,rrssf cent
Msgslni.
Barbarini. a millionaire resident OF Flor
ence. that home Of art, was the maker Of
another magnificent instrument which Is a
part OF DE Bona's collection. Barbarin
made violins as n pastime. He was a
pupil OF Anati and his productions were
regarded as among the best Of the old
school.
Perhaps the most interesting feature OF
the collection Is guartette of Instruments
two siolins, a VIOLA and violonceiio. They
were made by the two Gagliano brothers.
Nieolans and Joseph. between lsf5 and IT'S
The family held the precious instruments
as heirlooms for seventy-iiye years. The
first violin OF the Gagliano auartstte WAS
formerly used by Mr.. Leopold Damrusch.
| father of Waiter Damrosch. one of the
propriesofs OF the company OF which Sig
nor DE Bona In a member.
II believe that violin Ii better with use
than lying idle IN some dusty cabinet"
said SIgnor De Bona at the Butler after
the performance at the thester. '''This is
the reason why / carry my Instruments
about the country with me-. They are In
almost constant use and OF course they are
ia the hands 3f competent, skilled per-
formers. I value the Amafi above all
i 81 iae. others. us tone Is magnificent.
Not the usual Anau tone. for the reason
/ that Il is one OF his first works. Amstfs
sf..sfe Ia Etx an
his later work. In this regard he emulaied
i sstrsaisarius the greatest maker of them
/ all This instrument was made In 1855, and
! 1t Is in as perfect condition as ever" and
| Sisnar lie Bona fondled the handsome in
| rlFuTent as IL IL were a living. breathing
being.
| What are you going 20 do with all of
i your violhs, was asked OF Signor De
| Bona.
+ wei. that Is getting 10 be something
/ Of a puzzle" he said. II realize that some
i day / shall ret care to follow travelling
| companies around the country and one day
shalt Wish 20 iav aside the violin for
| good and al. But they will ever be dear
| 30 NE sts their tons and not their worth
| "a dollars tkat makes them so precious
| 10 me-" ard the u,lie violinls, teok an
/ ether loving look at bis favorite Auati as
! he iaii I, away ia It's case.
/ Have you a stradivarIus In the lot7'
'<No. and I'm sorry for IL said De
Bona. After alt 'Strad.' We musi-
! clans say. is better than all the rest. On.
{, yes. there il TAO doubt about *. People
/ with theories about violin workmanship
! ard architecture may say all they please.
bu. long after they shalt have finished The
! Stradlvarius wii he recognized. as il Is and
/ ever has been. as tae greatest OF victims.
lie was master Of shem all. Where among
/ musicians writer's. poets and dramstists
/ viii You md a man whose works have 50
lived after him as have The ysolias Of The