Scan 5
Musical Courier 1909-06-02: Vol 58 Iss 22, 1909
16 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026. Printed page 6. See the scan on archive.org.
1class all by itself, there being no other Amati in existence to compare with it. It is the only violin of this maker known that has a tone equal in volume to any Strad. or Guarnerius; and at the same time the tone has that wonderful quality, that peculiarly appealing Amati sweetness. It is a tone that simply carries the violinist away and makes him loath to put aside this marvelous instrument, once he has touched the bow to it. It is in a wonderful state of preservation, being thick in wood and absolutely intact in every particular. For many years it was the property of an Italian church museum, and this accounts for its remarkable state of preservation. It has been used very little, and is practically a new instrument, although 200 years old. For a time it was in the possession of Lord Arbuthnot. This violin is a marvel of the luthier's art; its market value today is about $20,000, but Mr. Partello would not part with it for any price.
38. Nicholas Amati, Grand Pattern, Cremona, 1682. This, the so called Spagnioletti Amati, from having been the property of that violinist, who was leader of the Royal Opera Orchestra in London, in 1800, is one of Amati's last instruments, he having died in 1684. It, also, is in a perfect state of preservation, and, although it has not the enormous volume of tone of the grand Amati mentioned above, that instrument being hors de concours, it has a tone famed for its purity and sweetness and a humanlike quality. The workmanship is exquisite and Hill & Sons have adopted it as their Amati model from which to copy their new instruments. The varnish is of a bright golden color and the scroll is a wonderful work of art. The interior workmanship plainly reveals the hand of Stradivarius, who was a pupil of Amati.
59. Nicholas Amati, Cremona, 1666. This violin, like its two mates mentioned above, is also a perfect specimen of Amati's handicraft. It is not of the grand pattern, but is of medium size. It is perfectly intact in wood, has not a crack or blemish of any kind, and looks like a new instrument, having been very little played. The tone is of a wondrously captivating quality. Little is known of its early history, and it looks today, although 243 years old, as if it had only just left Amati's workshop. Mr. Partello also owns a fourth Nicholas Amati in perfect condition, but, unfortunately, he did not have it at home when the above photographs were taken.
710. (second row) Jacob Stainer, Absom, in the Tyrol, 1665. This is a three-quarter size violin, as can be seen in the photograph, and was one of the Royal Edinburgh collection. It was purchased for the Duke of Edinburgh when he was a child for his practice violin by his mother, Queen Victoria. It bears the original label in the handwriting of the maker. In place of the scroll is a beautifully carved lion's head.
911. Jacob Stainer, Absom, Tyrol, 1667. This is one of the finest specimens of Stainer, the greatest of all the German violin makers, in existence. It is in perfect condition, it has a fine coat of rich orange varnish, and, like the small Stainer, has an exquisitely carved lion's head instead of the regular scroll; the workmanship compares very favorably with that of the best Cremona masters. The label is in Stainer's own handwriting.
1112. J. B. Guadagnini, Turin, 1780. This is the so called Hawley Guadagnini, having formerly been owned by the violin collector Hawley, of Hartford, Conn. On Hawley's death his collection of twelve violins was sold to Ralph Granger, of San Diego, Cal, who in turn sold it to Lyon & Healy, of Chicago, from whom Mr. Partello purchased this instrument. The Hawley collection now is scattered. This violin is a very fine specimen of Guadagnini's craft. It is strongly built in wood, has a brownish red varnish and a splendid tone.
1313. J. B. Guadagnini, Turin, 1775. This violin is a very remarkable specimen of Guadagnini's art, and is by all odds the finest toned instrument of his make I ever heard; it has a very brilliant and penetrating tone. The instrument was found in a castle on the borders of Russia, where it had been in the family of a nobleman for many generations, and, according to family traditions, had been purchased by them direct from the maker in Turin. It is completely covered with a bright red varnish; it has the flat model, which is always best for tone, and so little has it been used that it is like a new instrument. Although there is but five years' difference between these two Guadagninis, the kind of wood used, the models, the scrolls, the color of the varnish and even the labels, though all genuine, are quite different in character, showing the remarkable versatility of this great disciple of Stradivarius, whose name will be more and more appreciated as the years go by.
1514. Nicholas Lupot, Paris, 1800. In many works written on the violin and its makers it has been claimed that Lupot copied Strads. only, but here we have a unique and perfect copy of a Petrus Guarnerius, conclusively proving that the greatest of all French luthiers, for once at least, used another model. The workmanship of this violin is beautiful; the back is cut on the slab (i.e., across the grain), and the varnish, which is wholly intact, is of a rich, light red color, reflecting lights and shade in a most exquisite manner. This Lupot is in a splendid state of preservation and stands quite alone among the instruments of its maker; there is no evidence of a second copy of a Petrus Guar-
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