Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-09-07

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4.-lhe
other day. a jubilant gentleman
carrying a violin case walked into a
large music store and asked to see
the head of the violin department.
II have here a Stradivar.us
violin" he explained, triumphantly
removing the instrument from Its
case and holding it aloft 30 that all
might be privileged to gaze thereon.
I'm old they're very rare ana
bring big prices, and l would Ike
to know just what would be consid-
cred a fair price for this one. I've
already received an offer of S40O for
it. hut a friend of mine who is a
vlolinist says that is much too little"
The clerks looked politely inter-
ested. but they did not seem i'm
pressed. Presently the head OF the
lviclin department appeared ahd
picked III the violin. There was a
noticeable lack of enthusiasm in his
manner as he examined it.
How did you get the fnstiu-
ment?" he asked.
"Why, it was among my deceased
unclo's effects which were recent y
turned over to me-" explained the
proud owner. THE old gentleman
used to play on it a good deal, but
he had no idea of its real value.
Neither had l until l had seen the
name of Stradivari in the inside.
Then l remembered hearing some
where that old violins Of that make
were valuable"
But did you not see this?" in
CURED the violin expert, pointing to
a fine imprint at the base of which
read, Made in Germany" You
did? Well, that little mark prov.s
beyond question hal your violin is
not a genuine S~tradivarius, even if
the Indifferent workmanship did
not do so. Genuine Strads arc not
made in Germany. This voilin. l
regret to say, is not valuable. 1t is
. probably not worth more than S."
When the erstwhile jubilant gen
tleman had departed in great deJcc-
=. ton OF spirit, the violin expert said:
= I'VE are always having to take the
) joy out of life like that. I am COM
PEELED to disappoint many people
every year. The ignorance of the
: public on the subject of violins Is
: incredible. People who are no
otherwise easily fooled allow them
selves to be completely taken in b!
s newly printed Stradivarius OF Guar
nerius labels inside their violins. This
man who was just here was fortu
, nate. He had the violin b~eaueatEet
. to him. He did not pay thousand
a for 1t, which many persons do
n Labels May Lie
i As a matter Of fact, he said. til
label Is one of the least importer
things to be considered in determin
ing the value of a violin. The mai
D points of interest are in the lines o
the instrument, the wood, the var
nish, the scroll. the + holes. tn
= characteristics, tone of the insti u
ment, the general character Of tn
workmanship and the many HIT
mannerisms characteristic OF IT,
maker. There Is a strong suggestlo
of boldness and power about Il
%violins made by Joseph Guarner
= for instance. that Is altogether lack
ing in the fine. sweet-toned instlu
ments of Nicholas Amati, another {
|. tns famous old Italian masters.
II Is a simple matter to procuI
we'll executed counterfeit labels all
q paste them in any violin, much cas-
err thar it is to forge the signatul
of a famous artist. When blacl
ened with a little dust they will ea'
l., ily deceive the layman. Yet IN II
4 case of the cheaper violins, there
l no intent to deceive. The labels III
II pasted in by modern makers mere
Las trade marks OF to Indicate tn
Il model of the violin-if it is a copy
a Stradivarius, Guarnerius or SON
other famous make. Many. OF THIS
C instruments. as In the incident a
ready described, are also frank
e labeled made in Germany"
o. While this form of labelling Is we
. known to all persons acquainte
o with the making of vioiins and the.
history, it u many false hope
S in the unenlightened. In n II
4 stance, a family in a small Ne
= York town discovered an old vion
: in their attic. 1t was creaky VII
age and badly battered. but thel
Twas great excitement when 1t wa
/. found to have the name OF Anthem
% Stradivari in 1t. The opinion or II
= local fddlers was solicited and tine
,, seconded the view that it was indet
a genuine Strad. One of them eve
=, got himself disliked by Offering u
family only $500 for the instrumen
l. News of the marvellous find spres
about the town, and the family can
l. to be regarded as potentially re
They acquired new. expensive hou'
Furnishings and an automobile