Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1921-07-23

Lost for more than 700 years, the
secret process By which Stradivarius
vanished violinS Is claimed To have
been rediscovered 10y Fred A, Horn. a
banker at Laomi, H., who in his
leisure hours manufactures instru-
ments as nearly rs he can like like
those Of the Italian master
His violins are in demand in Spring
field at substantial prices, but Mr.. Horn
is not in the business of making vio-
Inns He does il only for the pleaSur"
il gives him. and he works at il only
as he pleases. For years he labored,
his friends say completing violinS. var
nished and unvarnished. touching his
bow string to one. and then to another.
forever listening with critical ear to
the qualities Of sound
Banker Works in Shop.
Lately he announced he believed
that at last he had found 1.-THE secret
process Of the maker of CremonaS
which other violin makers Cor POO
years have sought in vain Mr. Horn
has demonstrated the qualities ~ his
improved instrument to few friends.
bur has not yet submitted IL 10 . jury
Of critics.
His workshop at l.aomi is small
comfortable shed near his home where
slabs of wood hang from the ceiling
After banking hours, when the spirit
moves him. MIR Horn enters his work
shop and builds a fire. Then he sits
down. he says. and waits for a slab To
speak" To him Take me, Il slab ap-
peals. land see what you can 10, Mr..
Horn says he hears one say.
That one he takes down and starts
the process which has produced instru-
ments Of beauty, pretty a. picture"
local orchestra leaders say. which
stand comparison with the best made
Of modern fiddleS.
Mr.. Horn has not disclosed the proc
cSs ne says he has rcdiscovercd. nor
the manner by which he found H.
Varnish Secret Lost.
The search H. has quietly conducted
has been the common search Of many
violin makers Different and contra
dictory theories have been advanced
from time to time - explain Crcmona
varnish II was In use only from 1850
to 100 After that it would seem 10
have vanished rs completely and mNS.
teriouSly aS il appeared.
one nf the many theories advanced
Is that successive and Supcrimp"Sed
coats Of oil and spirit varnish were
applied hy StradiVariuS. Most makes
now are finished with oil vnrnish
alone.
Importance of ia" varniSh is not
o,er-cstlnatcd 10y Mr. Horn. Il Is EN-
phasized in various hooks GA the sub
icct. and especially in Groves picti"n-
AIRY Of Music.
Ell WAS the understanding of the re-
lation>hip between perfect proportions
and pliable protective covering that
cingS 10 the wood and vihratcS with u.
that made StradivariuS viulins Sn
extraordinarily superior 10 all
others says the dictionary. What
we're the component parts Of the var
niSh employed by Cremona's famous
ntlier II is impossible 10 say. Two
hundred years hay" passed since their
application n period long enough for
he gums resins. and diluicrtS Ia hav"
become oxydzed beyond the reach Of
uuantitive or qualitative analysis.
BESIDES which even the most enthu-
>iastic inquirer would hesitate before
the cost entailed. though the task
has been unsuccesSfully attempted
with fragments Of instruments that
have been damaged beyond possibility
of reconstruction. Apparently the Sc
cret must remain a secret"