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Scan 38
The Hawley Collection of violins, 1904
21 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. Printed page 26. See the scan on archive.org.
1THE HAWLEY COLLECTION OF VIOLINS
3mend in the very highest terms. We are fortunate in finding a letter in this correspondence, and quote it herewith, as it shows the high esteem with which Mr. Hart regarded this instrument.
5London, April 18, 1882.
7R. D. Hawley, Esq.
8My Dear Sir—I delayed answering your letters dated 14th and 23d, expecting to hear daily again. I have now your last letter, dated April 8th. I assure you it gives me great pleasure to add another gem to your collection in the Grand Stradivarius, 1711. I know you will be charmed with it. I do assure you it is a Strad you must keep, being one of the few handed down to us in fine condition. The price I have put upon it is a fair cash value, and without doubt it will be a far better investment than the smaller violins. We have had many deals, and I hope we may have many more, and so pleasant as all have been. I am, therefore, not going to ask other terms than offered. I shall be happy to take the Joseph fil Andrea in any transaction. I am, however, inclined to think you will keep it. That violin is a rare one, and worthy of going together with the gems you have. I have no news to send you of interest this time. With my best wishes,
9Yours very truly,
10GEORGE HART.
12The measurements of the Healy Stradivari are given in the table of measurements.
14Mr. Geo. Hart is authority for the statement that the Healy Strad at the time of its purchase, was the highest-priced violin their firm had ever bought up to that date, with a single exception,—this in spite of the fact that the elder Hart bought it in under extremely favorable circumstances from an Italian nobleman.
16To the golden period belong also three of the greatest 'cellos in existence, viz.: the "Davidoff," "Romberg," and "Mara." In 1713, Senor Sarasati's violin, known as the "Boissier," was produced, and in 1714, the famous example, the "Dolphin," one of the most beautiful of all his violins, and so named because of the rare effects of light and shade in the varnish. In this violin we find the sound hole set rather perpendicularly, almost after the manner of 1722 to 1725.
18Stradivari was choice of his finest woods, as is shown by the number of perfectly plain violins of 1710 to 1715, made during the same period in which many of his most beautiful instruments were produced. No doubt he was guided in the selection of material largely by the remuneration he was to receive for each instrument, and only in the more expensive did he use the choicest and most beautiful woods. In the same year, 1714, he completed the specimen known as the Monarch, now in the possession of Mr. Ralph Granger, of California, which, because of its beautiful lines, wood, and varnish, is accorded a very high place. The varnish of the Monarch is plentiful and of a deep rose color. The measurements are: Length of body, 14 inches scant; width lower bouts, 8 1-4 inches; width across upper bouts, 6 1-2 inches.
20The next year, 1715, was also prolific of grand results. In that twelvemonth, Stradivari completed a set of twelve violins for the King of Poland, and besides these the Alard, which is one of the finest examples of his skill. Dr. Joachim possesses two fine specimens of this period. The Alard is a 14-inch violin, the back in two pieces, the curve of the maple extending upward toward the edges from the center. In the following year, 1716, was made a violin which of all known examples of Stradivari's work is to-day in the finest state of preservation, the Messie. It remains, after one hundred and eighty-seven years, as if it were made but yesterday. Not a line missing, nor the symmetry of a single curve broken by wear. In Florence is another violin of the same year which is almost as fine, though the back and sides are of different maple.
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