Scan 247
The violin: its famous makers and their imitators, 1884
6 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1On the 22nd of August, 1686, Marquis Michele Rodeschini ordered a Viol da Gamba to be sent to King James II. of England.
3We now arrive at the time when Stradivari made, together with the form of instrument just described, that known to connoisseurs as the "long Strad." We have here quite a differently constructed instrument; it is less graceful, although there is no absence of the masterly hand throughout the work. It has received the title of "long Strad" not from increased length, as the name would imply, but from the appearance of additional length, which its narrowness gives it, and which is particularly observable between the sound-holes. The dimensions of these instruments vary considerably; in some the width across the lower portion is but a shade less than that of his full size "Amatese" instruments, but in the upper part the diminution is more marked. On these, again, there is much variation in the tone of the varnish, many having his beautiful amber-coloured varnish, others a pale red, of great transparency.
5In the year 1687 he made the set of instruments for the Spanish Court, inlaid with ivory, and having a beautiful scroll work running round the sides and scroll. Arisi evidently refers to this event in the following extract: "On the 19th January, 1687, the Marquis Niccolò Rota ordered a Violoncello for the King of Spain." One of the Violins of this set is that given on Plate 18, which instrument was pur-
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