Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-07-24
OLD VIOLIN
WORTH $4,000
RARE MASTERPIECE PICKED UP
IN A CHICAGO SECONDHAND
STORE FOR SIS REAL OLD
DA SALO.

Des Moines, Ia, July IA vio-
lin maker Of this city. Prof Eugene
Hahnel. recently made a profit Of
$4,000 in purchasing an old violin.
A pawnbroker in Chicago was glad
to unload the ugly instrument for
50, which afterward proved to be
worth more than a thousand times
this amount.
After being lost for centuries a
real Salo violin, valued at 5000.
has come into the possession OF
Prof. Hahnel. member of the High
land Park Musical college. For IS
years the rare and costly instrument
lay disguised in the window of a
Chicago pawnbroker's shop and was
recovered only by accident by G. w.
hortwright. a violin maker now re-
siding in Des Moines. He, sold the
fiddle to Prof. Hahnel six weeks ago
for $500, knowing what it was, yet
the latter claims it is easily worth
thousands.
In relating the history of this
wonderful instrument of maker
that authorities state is of the
greatest possible rarity" reveals a
romance of extraordinary interest.
The condition of the violin when
found by Mr. Kortwright lends
foundation to the theory that it was
stolen and brought to this country,
where the thief disposed of it fol-
fear Of being caught.
Last fall the violin maker jour-
neyed to Chicago intent upon max
ing a tour of the pawnshops in hope
of picking up some instrument OF
reputation, the value of which the
brokers would be ignorant. In the
window of an old shop the name OF
which he never knew. Mr.. Kort-
wright saw a crude looking violin
with a coat of brown paint on 1t.
AIS curiosity alone led him into the
shop to investigate. Mr.. kort-
wright's story of how he made his
"fnd" is very realistic.
ne fiddle was covered with
some kind of thin paint and had
very high bridge when l first saw
It," he said. II wet my thumb and
rubbed a little of the color of and
discovered a varnish of unusual lus-
ter beneath. l at once covered up
the spot l had barred and asked the
owner of the place what he would
take for It. He told me he had
bought 1t 10 years ago and would
take IS for It. We haggled on the
price for awhile and he finally &C
cepted 50. was overjoyed and at
once took 1t to the hotel. where
washed all the paint OF and imme-
d'ately recognized the instrument
to be a Gaspera da Salo."
Prof. Hahnel purchased the vio-
lin about six weeks ago. He is per-
fectly satisfied of its make. but to
remove all doubt he will send It to-
Berlin some time in September to be
examined by Oswald Moeckel. one q
the leading violin experts living.
Prof. Hahnel became enthusiastic
in describing his new treasure, de,
claring its tones to be the most
beautiful and exquisite he has ever
heard. The varnish on the instru
ment. the making Of which Is ios'
art. is sufficient proof that 1t Is tn''
work of some old master.
The varnish Is golden red IN
co'or and the instrument has all the
marks of a da Salo. 1t Is arched
full like a blown bag upon which
their has been some restraint. the
corners are short. the sound holes
long and the material itself Is asso-
ciated with Salo. The back is made
of pear wood.
Salo lived from 1850 to 1910 and
his work was the foundation of
Italian violin making. The masters
of his country which followed him
copied many of the features which
made his Instruments so desirable.
A da Sale violin is as rare and as
ooc<,r nc a Ct ro dwarf about which