Scan 287
Antonio Stradivari, his life and work (1644-1737), 1909
12 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 259. See the scan on archive.org.
1Vitali set upon the violins by Francesco Ruger, three pistoles, was equivalent to £7 4s. of to-day.
3If we now summarise, we arrive at the following conclusions:—
5. In 1572 a Cremona violin (Andrea Amati?) cost approximately £12.
6. In 1637 a Cremona violin (Nicolò Amati?) cost approximately £14 8s.; an old one cost £16 16s.
7. A Brescian violin at the same period could be purchased for £4 16s.
8. In 1662 two Cremona violins (Amatis?) cost £40 each.
9. In 1685 a violin accepted as a Nicolò Amati (it should be remembered Amati died in 1684) cost £28 16s. The violins of F. Ruger were valued at £7 4s.
11From the publication of the Arisi Manuscripts, we learnt definitely that which had previously been but a matter of conjecture. Far from being an obscure, unheeded man, Stradivari is held up to us as one of the notable citizens of Cremona, recognised far and wide as the most distinguished violin-maker of his time. Indeed, we find that kings, princes, noblemen, the dignitaries of the Church, and the most renowned musicians of the day were among his patrons, and all were unanimous in their testimony to the unsurpassed merit of his productions. This subject, and that of the remuneration Stradivari received for his instruments, and their ever-increasing value reckoning from early times, are of considerable interest, and will, we feel sure, justify us in dwelling more at length upon them than has been done by writers in the past. Up to the present time we have been baffled in our efforts to discover some authentic document giving the actual price paid to Stradivari for one of his instruments (on this point all writers are silent with the exception of Fétis), and so far our own researches in the different archives of Italy have proved futile. On ascertaining that in 1715 the Elector of Poland
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