The Strad down the Street

April 6, 2006 at 10:44 PM

It was a perfect day for finding an old violin. I had spent several hours going through old boxes of books. We moved two years ago, almost three, and our living room is still filled with boxes and boxes of old books that we haven't found a good bookshelf for yet. You wouldn't believe the stuff we have in those musty old boxes. From Linear Algebra to "Speak Swahili", from Ronald Knox to Sherlock Holmes and B.C. Comic books, we have it in one of the thirty dust-filled boxes behind the couch.
After two hours of studying Tale of Two Cities at the Ortiz's house, Mrs. Ortiz finally came home to relieve me of my soundly-sleeping charge.
"I'm surprised he slept that whole time! Thank you so much, Natasha!"
"Oh, no problem, Mrs. Ortiz. Anytime."
She and her three year old daughter had just returned from her daughter's violin lesson.
"Show Natasha your hands!"
The shy little girl held out her palms. Drawn on her left hand was a violin and on her right hand, a bow.
Gosh, I remember the "box days".
"I was thinking of canning the violin teacher and just having you teach her, Natasha."
"Oh, well, I've never taught anyone private lessons." I said as I walked out the door.
I ran back over several minutes later. She needed new strings for her full size violin and couldn't tell if she needed ball or loop. Five minutes told me she was a ball person.
"While you're here, could you look at this violin..." she walked out to the car "...it's in the family...it looks really old..."
I smiled. The last 'family heirloom' I had tried out turned out to be nothing but a piece of junk.
Mrs. Ortiz went on "It's got a crack and the bridge is gone." She pulled out an old case, nearly falling apart, and struggled to unlatch the ancient buckles. "Our violin teacher said 'You ever sell want to sell that violin, come talk to me.'"
Inside, was a totally dead violin.
3/4 size, maybe a small 4/4. Two piece back, nice varnish. Strings, bridge, everything gone. It reminded me something of my old Guarneri copy. I glanced quickly over the label.
"Oh, look at that, it's a copy of a Strad" I said, smiling. "It's like your other full size" I nodded towards the bright red violin on the dining room table. Something made me look back.
It didn't say "copy of" anywhere on the label. Just "Antonius Stradiuarius Cremonensis Faciebat Anno 1722". And that beautiful insigna "AS" with a cross. Handmade paper.
I blinked "It doesn't say it's a copy..." I said.
"It can't be a Strad. Those sell for millions. It can't be. But...maybe." I stopped to explain what a Strad was. "It's really REALLY unlikely this is the real thing...but I'll look around, see what i can find."

So here I am. It matches all the descriptions of a 1722 Strad. Do any of you know how I could tell for sure? The label matches perfectly. However, it's smallish size, along with the fact that it's a two piece (surely Strads are one pieces?) and none of the "Strad-ish" purfling on the sides. I'm not convinced. And yet...her teacher offered to buy it without even playing it. Odd, no?

So, if any of you have any help as to identifying a Strad, drop me a comment or email me. Thanks a bunch,

~natasha

From Ben Clapton
Posted on April 6, 2006 at 11:53 PM

I'd say take it to a luthier. They'll know what you need to look for.

From Neil Cameron
Posted on April 7, 2006 at 12:17 AM

Natasha, I suggest you read the article here by the webmaster of the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers.

Oh and yes, you do get real Strads with two-piece backs and the labels of fakes rarely say "copy of..."

The odds of it being real, ... see the article I linked above. :)

Neil

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on April 7, 2006 at 8:26 AM

If I had a dollar for every story I've heard about a Strad found in someone's attic, I could buy myself a pretty good violin.

From Sydney Menees
Posted on April 7, 2006 at 5:42 PM