The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1902-02-28
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:e)candinayians
OLE BULLS VIOLIN.

The Famous de Sa1o Presented to
the Bergen Museum.
The muse UNI Of the quaint old town of
Bergen. Norway, is in receipt of an I'M
usual and much appreciated gift, says
the New York Commercial Advertiser.
Mrs. Ole Bull, wife of the famous virtu-
$50, has presented TO it her husbands
celebrated violin, "Die Schatzkammer-
geige."
The history Of the antique violin. dat
Ing back from the dawn of the Renais-
sance, and the unique manner in which
1t came into possession of Ole Bull,
forms story not devoid either of the
| dramatic or the humorous elements.
Its maker was no less parsonage
than Gasparo do Salo, who finished
1t in 1895, considering it his master
piece. Benvenuto Cellini made the neck
and the beautiful carvings, representing
the graceful figure of sea nymph. The
neck was originally of a rose color, del
icately interviewer with soft tints of
blue. yellow and carmine, and made out
of the finest Oriental woods that the
enterprts;ng merchants of Venice ever
fetched out Of the opulent East.
Cardinal Adolbrandini bought the VII
olin for 5000 ducats-an enormous sum
IN those days-and presented it to the
Art Treasure" in Innsbruck. Hence
| Its German name, ode Schatzkammer-
| geige." In 1909, when the French plum
dered the historic city of the kaisers,
the violin was stolen by a soldier of
Napoleon. who in turn disposed Of it
| at fabulous price to the banker
Rhaczek.
In 1880 Ole Bull, to whom some of the
stories of this wonderful fiddle had
come, came to Innsbruck, and his first
visit was naturally to Rhaczek. The
banker received him with distinguished
| courtesy, but when Ole Bull expressed
a desire t., see the violin Rhaczek de-
clined The violinist, however, begged
to earnestly and rersistently, declaring
it would be the joy Of his life to have
seen the joint work of Cellini and Salo,
| that.the banker finally consented.
He opened the case and the old in
strument. with it's accumulated dust Of
centuries, lay there before the enrap-
tured vision Of Ole Bull. The sight Of
the treasure so agite ted the son of the
Vikings that he trembled as if con-
| vulsed with fever, end he made a mo-
ton to touch it. But Rhaczek placed
the still greater violinist
When Ole Bull finally recovered his
usual ccmposure of mind he offered
I,haczek his entire fortune for the vio-
lin, but the latter merely laughed.
"Give me a half of Vienna" he re-
piled land we may talk business
Still, he promised that if he ever should
think of selling the instrument. he (ole
BulD would have the preference.
About two years later the virtuoso
was sitting in his hotel at Leipzig with
List and Mendelsshon. A letter was
brought in, but Bull, preoccupied, LAID
1t indifferently aside,
'But read the letter; it may contain
something of interest," said the Hun
garian, whose intuition was feminine.
Bull complied, and it proved to be
from the son of Rhaczek. It read:
My Dear Sir-My father is dead, and
in his will lie bequeat this to you the vio-
lin of Gaspard do Salo.
One can imagine better than describe
the effect Of this sudden and brilliant
present upon one so emotional as Ole
Bull. He almost went, and accepted
Mendelssohn's proposition that he init
ate the violin with composition of
his own. He also sent an enthusiastic
letter Of ths nks to the Rhaczck family.
and, what was perhaps more eloquent
of his deep gratitude. a. check for 1000
specie dalar to the bankers little daugh-
ter.
And now the celebrated violin, after SO
many vicissitudes, is lying in one of the
safes of the Credit Bank in Bergen.
awaiting the glass case which Mrs. Ole
Bull is having made in England, when
it will finally find resting place in the
old towns historic museum.