Violin
Maker
Antonio Stradivari
Maker
Martino Othi
Date1660-1723 ca.
Place MadeCremona, Italy, Europe
Place MadeBologna, Italy, Europe
ModelStradivari belly
Serial No.none
SignedPrinted on later paper label, the last two digits of year and last line written in black ink: Reuiſto, e Corretto da me Antonio / Stradiuari in Cremon 1719 / fatto il CoperchioDescriptionThis violin is a composite instrument, with back and sides attributed to Martino Othi of Bologna, and top by Antonio Stradivari. Dendrochronology (tree ring dating) performed on the instrument reveals the last tree ring of the top is from 1705, with a likely date of manufacture from ca. 1719-1725. Interestingly, there is a similar instrument listed in 1774 estate inventory of violinist and composer Giovanni Stefano Carbonelli, with a label dating the Stradivari top to 1723. It has been proposed by Duane Rosengard and John Dilworth that this may be Carbonelli's instrument.
Top: two-piece, quarter-cut spruce: medium grain broadening to very wide at edges; filled knot at upper bass edge; wood pin through top into top block on treble side of center joint; wood pin through top into bottom block on bass side of center joint
Back: one-piece, slab-cut maple: faint, irregular curl; wood pin through back into top block on bass side of center; wood pin through back into bottom block on treble side of center; large wood pin through button into neck heel; ebony heel cap
Ribs: maple cut off-the-quarter: medium curl, angled to left in upper and lower bouts, angled to right in center bouts; one-piece lower rib
Head: maple: medium curl
Neck: maple: medium curl; grafted
Varnish: dark red-brown
Fingerboard: ebony; later
Nut: ebony; later
Tailpiece: boxwood; beveled face; ebony saddle; later
Tailgut: black gut; later
Pegs: boxwood; ivory pins; undercut heads; later
Saddle: ebony; later
Endpin: ebony; later
F-holes: channeled lower wings
Linings: willow, poplar, or similar wood; set into corner blocks
Corner blocks: willow, poplar, or similar wood
Top block: willow, poplar, or similar wood; later
Bottom block: willow, poplar, or similar wood; later
Bassbar: spruce; later
DimensionsTotal violin length: 550 mm
Back length: 332 mm
Upper bout width: 150 mm
Center bout width: 99 mm
Lower bout width: 190 mm
Upper rib height: 27-30 mm
Center rib height: 28-31 mm
Lower rib height: 29-31 mm
Stop length: 185 mm
Vibrating string length: 314 mm
Neck length (bottom of nut to ribs): 127 mm
ProvenanceLaurence Witten acquired from E. M. W. Paul, London, 1965.
Purchased by the National Music Museum from Laurence Witten family, New Haven, Connecticut, 1984.
Published ReferencesGreg Dean Petersen, "Bridge location on the early Italian violin," Early Music 35, No. 1 (February 2007), pp. 49-64.
Credit LineWitten-Rawlins Collection, 1984
Object number03414
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