Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-09-09


day a jubilant gentleman carrying a violin
case walked into a large music store and
asked to see the head of the violin depart
ment.
81 have here Stradivarius VIOLIN" he ex-
planned, triumphantly removing the instru-
ment from it's case and holding it aIoft so
that alAmight be privileged to gaze thereon
'I'm told they're very rare and bring big
prices, and I would like to know just what
would be considered fair price for this one.
I've already received an offer of $500 for it,
but friend Of mine who is Violinist, says
that is much too little"
The clerks looked politely interested, but
they did not seem impressed. Presently the
head of the violin department appeared and
picked up the violin. There was noticeable
lack of enthusiasm in his manner as he ex-
amined it.
Glow did you get the Instrument" he
asked.
'Why, it was among my deceased uncle's
effects which were recently 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
until happened to see the name of Strad-
ivari in the inside. Then l remembered
hearing somewhere that old violins of that
make were valuable"
'But did you not see this?' inquired the
violin expert, pointing to fine imprint at
the base which read, made in Germany"
''You did? Well, that little mark proves
beyond question that your violin is not a
genuine StradivariuS, even if the Indifferent
workmanship did not do so. Genuine Strads
are not made in Germany. This violin, "a
regret to say, is not valuable. 1t is probably
not worth more than $8.''
Whou oretubiIo iubiJont oan ~
had departed in great detection of spirit, the
violin expert said eve are always having
to take the joy out of life like that. l am
compelled to disappoint many people every
year. The ignorance of the public on the
subject of yiolins is incredible. People who
are not otherwise easily fooled allow them
selves to be completely taken in by newly
printed Stradivarius or Guarnerius labels
inside their violins. This man who was just
here was fortunate. He had the violin be-
queathed to him. He did not pay thousands
for it, which many persons do"
Labels May Lie
Gas matter of fact, ''the label is one Of
the least important things to be considered
in determining the value of violin. The
main points of interest are the lines of the
instrument, the wood, the varnish, the scroll
the F. holes, the characteristic tone of the in
strument, the general character Of the work.
manship and the :lany little mannerisms
characteristic of the maker. There is
strong suggestion of boldness and power
about the violins made by Joseph Guarneri
for instance, that is altogether lacking in
the fine, sweet-toned instruments of Nicholas
Amati, another of the famous old Italian
masters
sit is simple matter to procure we'll
executed counterfeit labels and paste them
in any violin, much easier than it is to forge
the signature of a famous artist When
blackened by little dust they will easily de-
ceive the layman. Yet in the case of the
cheaper violins, there is no intent to deceive.
The labels are pasted in by modern makers
merely as trade marks or to indicate the
model Of the violin-if it is a copy of a
Stradivarius, Guarnerius some other ia
nous make. Many of these instruments, as
in the incident already described. are also
frankly labeled "Made in Germany
While this form of labelling is we'll known
to all persons acquainted with the making
of violins and their history, it arouses many
false hopes in the unenlightened. In one in
stance, family in small New York town
discovered an old violin in their attic It
was creaky with age and badly battered but
there was great excitement when it was
found to have the name of Anthony Strad-
ivari in it. The opinion Of the local fddlers
was solicited and they seconded the view
that it was indeed a genuine Strad One
Of them even got himself disliked by offer