Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-07-31
FINDS OF PARE OLD vIoLINs.
Few Genuine Stradivarius Fiddles In
America.

Few Genuine Stradivarius Fiddles In
America.
There has been a calm in the Strad-
ivarius market of late. Several days
must have passed since one Of these
trunk or closet where 1T had for years
lain unheeded. OF course, every old
violin thus unearthed is Strad. No
other violin maker Is as well known,
so for this reason Amati, Guarnerius
and other famous Italians are never
suspected of having manufactured
these neglected fiddles.
These violins, II they were examples
of the work of Stradivarius, would be
worth from $1,000 to $4,000. This
famous maker of Cremona turned out
his last instruments during the first
quarter of the eighteenth century, al
though he continued to work down to
1886. He was for q while a work.
man with Nicolo, most celebrated Of
the Amatis, and the Guarnerius BROTH
ers also served their apprenticeship
under the same maker. Stradivarius
had his two sons to help him, so they
turned out many violins Today the
Stradivarius pieces are more valuable
than the work of any other makers.
How many genuine Stradivarius
violns in existence?" repeated August
Gmuender, the expert and maker of
violins. "Well, about 200 In this coun-
try and Europe. 1t Is said that there
l am sure that cannot be true. There
are about twelve genuine accredited
Stradivarius violins in the United
States.
quainted in the slightest degree with
musical matters that the newspapers
could be deceived every week into
printing articles about the discovery
of Stradivarius violin. Such a thing
has never happened but once. The
Hauser Stradivarius, as 1t Is called,
was found in an old southern home
stead. How 1t got there was never
fully explained, although one of the
stories was that 1t had been sold by
Vieuxtemps on one of his visits to this
country. Before the war the majority
of the valuable musical instruments
in this country were in the south.
This violin, which proved to be gen.
uine Stradivarius beyond question,
was bought by the late Gordon Nc
Kay, who lent 1t to Leonora Won
Stosch as long as she remained on the
concert stage. I never knew what be-
came Of it after Mr.. McKay's death.
But that was the only. Strad ever
found in this country. Not a day
passes without bringing me by ex-
press from all over the country some
kind Of a violin TO be appraised. The
circumstances are nearly always the
same. The violin has been found hid
away somewhere after long years of
disuse, or it has been inherited from
some relative who in turn never used
1t or knew anything about 1t. The
writer-for most of these instruments
are sent here from distances usu-
ally certain that the fiddle Is a Strad-
ivarius.
Not three of these violins out Of a
hundred has any value. They could
be bought today for less than they
cost originally. Most Of them are of
French or German make. There Is
rarely an italian violin OF any make
whatever among them. There is no
possibility whatever Of finding Strad-
ivarius under such circumstances.
Among all the violins Of this kind In
the world--I place the number at
about 200-.not more than a dozen are
authenticated by documents that date
from the time of Stradivarius. These
fiddles were sold to men Of title or
great wealth and the documents were
handed down with them from genera
tion to generation.
THE qualities Of a Strad, just as
the qualities of other violins, can
readily be told by an expert. But the
number Of violins authenticated by
documents is very small.
Just as a traveller may have his bag
covered with hotel labels in European
cities without leaving New York, so
can a dealer put Strad mark into
any violin. The motto Of the maker
was, "Antonius Stradivarius Cremon-
ensis, Fecit Ammo - -. "a. 81
This inscription printed on faded yell
low paper may be bought by the doz-
en- and pasted inside violin.
Mr.. Gmuender was asked how there
happened TO be so many old f1ddles
stuck away to be discovered suddenly
and proclaimed Strads to a world al
ready growing a little weary Of such
frequent repetitions.
Men played the violin as a diver
sion more in the past than they do to-
day." he said. when the old instlu-
ments crop up somebody remembers
a family legend to the effect that 1t
had once cost very large sum. At
ter the proprietor of the local music
store has given his opinion and some
local violinist has given his opinion,
the instrument is shipped on to me.
I am expected to buy the instrument
for thousands or sell it to some mil
lionaire. But have yet to find one of
these instruments that comes up to
the owners expectations"
There are, Of coulse, tricks in the
trade of violins, just as there are In
every other business. Perhaps 1t re-
sembles more closely the traffic in so
called antique furniture than any
other business. Instruments are cop
led and made to look antique, parts OF
old instruments are added to new ones
and all the devices of the dealer in
antiques are tried to add value to the
violins. Then they are treated to
many kinds Of vanishing to give
them the desired color.
Experts, it must be said, determine