The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-01-06
Long Lost Strad Is
Found BY Naval Man

NEW ORLEANS. Jan. s.--Ar,er
wandering over Europe for two
centuries. figuring In two bcfts.
rwindie and fire. tho lost
StradIvarius 'cciio.- one Of the i've
strad 'eeiios In tho world. has al
10 New Orleans by Capt J. W. Bald.
win. . retired naval officer. who
bought the instrument at little
shop In Southampton. England. for
small sum and later discovered "
to be worth thousands.
Capt baldwin explained the 70
mantle career of tho missing cello
as follows;
Il stumbled upon this BEAUTIFUL
instrument quite by accident. and I
could scarcely believe my sailors
luck until l was able 10 find the
necessary proofs OF Its undoubted
authenticity. ! was at tho time
visiting England for the coronation
Of King u~orr. V. was assigned
20 IN. u. =. 4. Delaware In the ca
paei,y Of ordnance officer. We
nothing better 10 do. nosed around
among the music shop. and. having
great like for tho cello. which I
play. l found my way into God,
ffeys music shop. drawn thither by
algn. Cello for Sale Godfrey
brought out from hA back room an
old cello with some apologies for IL
condition. but he evidently dreamed
nothing pf i,s history or value
BOUGHT on
BLIND SWAP
Il asked 10 examine ~ snd he told
me 20 call back in an hour ar IN.
instrument belonged 20 machinist
at tn, shlpyard. for whose benefit he
VAS trying To rell Il. The .hlpyard
maehlnis; came within an hour. and
! Offered 20 buy the cello iust As u
stood. finally bought u on a blind
swap. for tho owner Of tho inairu
rnent knew nothing at all about u,
further than that hin father had kept
u stored In an attic in London for
over 20 years. I Rad with me AZ the
tim, q ie- In English gold. or about
Ill. all of which offered 10 the
owner. To my delight h~ seemed
glad to receive such an amount. and
told mo that bis father knew moth
ing % instruments. but had taken
this cello a. a payment for deb, from
AN old friend
81 had not PLAYED for several y~ar~
but ! tried out this cello with q bo~
happened TO have on board my
ship. IN the presence of my fellow
offioern Its tons surprised us all
beyond words We all looked at each
other aa n something momenious
~~rs happening. Next morning I
rave u q thoro examination and
rubbed away every .p~ck Of dust and
dirt. and then l noticed tho beauii.
ful workmanship OF IN. p holes and
purfilnE. A. l worked I noticed. too
that the unusual hrilAancy Of the
varnian was coming out there
upon concluded that I had luckily
happened upon a genuine Lupoz
VALUE N
REVEALED
Two week. later q '-~rirs came
10 Southampton on the circuit or the
London Palace theatres. and I went
10 tho theatre. introduced myself 10
him. and asked him to como aboard
my ship and look at my purchase.
ifs came tho nert day and We had
som. music. for ho brought his
pianist and cello. a rood viliaume
B~for. he ief, the ship he tried 10
persuade me 10 exchange his inatru.
uent for mine. declined. but the
real value vas beginning TO show
itself.
II took II up TO Tin. IN London.
the NEXT day. He Immediately o.
fercd the $500 for n. This he later
raised TO a. 900. I declined TO sell.
and he charged me pound for ap-
praiaai. which ! was glad 90 pay In
view Of tho information had gained
He also advised m. 10 have Il put In
repair BY a reputable maker at once.
When our ship left England for the
United States took tho cello along.
and sons weeks later was detached
from the ship and sen, on a further
long cruise. This was followed by my
service In the war zone.
when landed In New York again
took the cello 10 my old friend,
Herman Glaeacl. whom l have known
for many years. He has tho rcputa-
ton OF being the best expert In this