Books › 41894.j.1 – Description du suberbe violon de Stradivarius / Georges Mougenot., 1894 › scan 9
Scan 9
41894.j.1 – Description du suberbe violon de Stradivarius / Georges Mougenot., 1894
8 lines. Read by computer on 16 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1can be at all possible. The fact of an unsuspected Stradivari violin having been found in a house belonging to a county family within the last two years, makes one long for a series of exhibitions of violins in the hope that many masterpieces of the violin tribe lying perdu in this country may be brought to light.
3The following advertisement has lately appeared in "The Times," and has raised considerable curiosity in the violin world:—
5GENUINE Stradivarius Violin, the property of a gentleman, for sale; guaranteed perfect in all parts. For full particulars and price, write W. D. A., 20, Willing's, 162, Piccadilly, W.
7Curiosity has been excited to know who W.D.A. was, and what instrument it was. The first thought in the minds of the charitable was that it was, perhaps, some unfortunate fiddler who is obliged, in consequence of these hard times, to sell his Strad. However, our readers will be relieved to hear that this is not so. The violin is the property of a distinguished violinist, or, at any rate, he has been offering it for sale; and a letter signed W. D. A., giving a description of the instrument and naming the sum of £700 for it, is in this gentleman's handwriting. Any good violinist should be able to add considerably to his income by dealing in violins. In fact, with the opportunities afforded him for showing off the tone and other features of an instrument the dealer should not be in it with him. We are glad to be able to tell our readers something about this violin, and to bring under notice the fact that the price now named is considerably less than what has been asked for it. This, then, is the golden opportunity of the buyer who has been watching for his chance! The violin first appeared before the public in the exhibition of musical instruments at the Royal Aquarium, Westminster, in October, 1892, where it was shown under the fantastic title of "The Mercury," by Messrs. Paul Bailly and Son, the French violin-makers who have, we understand, recently left this country. £1,500, we believe, was then asked for the instrument, but its public exhibition does not seem to have brought forth any buyer. We should be inclined to think that the asking of such an outrageous sum for the instrument simply frightened all would-be buyers away. We may mention that the owner of the violin was a Mr. J. Williams, who bought it from a violin dealer named Mougenot, in Brussels; and no doubt influenced by the successful sale of the "Ames" Strad for £860 by Messrs. Puttick and Simpson in the spring of last year, he was tempted to try his luck later on in the same sale room. He quite overlooked
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.