Scan 78
The Violin Gallery: Comprising: Section I. South Kensington Special …, 1890
24 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1In the 180 years of its existance it has had much use and good use, yet time has dealt gently with it and preserved it to this day without a split or crack, and with plenty of varnish.
2The outline as shown by the front view, and the model as shown by the side view are all curves and lines of grace, and as they go to make up a perfect Stradivari, what an opportunity for a pattern do they furnish to the many thousand modern fiddle makers each of whom is trying to rival Stradivari himself!
3The great reputation of its former owners Henri Vieuxtemps and Miska Hauser both as composers and performers, lends a fascinating interest to this violin. In the hands of these masters in concert rooms all over the world, how much pleasure it has given to the thousands of listeners, and how many victories it has won for those virtuosi whose great skill could draw forth all its capabilities.
4It has that aristocratic varnish found only on the violins of the great Cremonese master and some of his contemporaries and his favored pupils.
5It is very difficult to describe the color of a violin especially if it is red, as there are so many shades—as for instance, how much of an idea of shade is conveyed by the expression "the color is very brilliant" as is often used? There is a beautiful yellowish-red flower grown in this country and known as the Nasturtion (or Nasturtium of the genus Tropaeolum) which furnishes all the shades of the Stradivari reds, and the fire and the life are equally well depicted. The varnish on this violin is mottled and shaded in places from the medium yellowish red to the darkest cardinal of the nasturtion.
6It will be well worth the time and trouble for any one interested, to cultivate a bed of nasturtions—they will have blooming before them the beautiful colors of the most celebrated varnish of Cremona.
7The following endorsements are in the possession of Mr. Hauser.
9The violin submitted to us this day as having belonged to the late Miska Hauser is the work of Antonius Stradivarius, Cremona, 1710.
10LONDON July 4, 1888. HART & SON. (GEORGE HART). one of two readings
11LONDON July 4, 1888. HART & SON. one of two readings
12 (GEORGE HART). one of two readings
14I hereby certify that the violin left by the late violin virtuoso, Miska Hauser, is, to the best of my knowledge, a genuine Antonius Stradivarius.
15DRESDEN, Feb. 13, 1890. AUGUST R. WEICHOLD. one of two readings
16DRESDEN, Feb. 13, 1890. AUGUST R. WEICHOLD. one of two readings
18I give these testimonials to show the manner in which old violins are authenticated by connoisseurs. Each instrument shown in the "Violin Gallery" has or may have similar certificates.
19215 JOSEPH GUARNERIUS, DEL GESU. 1727.
20Camilla Urso. (Madame Luere).
21The renowned artiste.
23Purchased in 1871 from John Hart, London, by the owner, whose first performance on it in public was at the London Philharmonic Society. This maker occupies second place among makers. The great violinist Herr Joseph Joachim says "While the violins of Maggini are remarkabl
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