Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1714, the 'Dolphin, Delfino'
Violin: 29483
Labeled, "Antonius Stradiuarius Cremonensis Faciebat Anno 1714."
Back: Two-piece
Varnish: Reddish-brown
Length of back: 35.8 cm
Upper bouts: 16.8 cm
There are 3 additional images in the archive which are not available publicly. Please contact us for more information.
Notes:
This violin has a high reputation for the tonal quality and was once owned and played by the world famous virtuoso Jascha Heifetz (1902-1987). The owner in the late 1800s, George Hart, named the violin "Dolphin" as its striking appearance and color of its back reminded him of a dolphin. This violin is known as one of the top three violins made by Stradivari along with 1715 "Alard" and 1716 "Messiah".Provenance
| until 1862 | Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume |
| 1862-1868 | Caspar Gottlieb Meier |
| 1868-1875 | George Hart |
| from 1875 | John Adam |
| until 1882 | David Laurie |
| 1882-1892 | Richard Bennett |
| in 1892 | Sold by W. E. Hill & Sons |
| 1892-1910 | Lieutenant Munro, R.N. |
| in 1910 | Sold by W. E. Hill & Sons |
| 1910-1915 | Mrs Arthur Kendall Stothert |
| in 1915 | Sold by W. E. Hill & Sons |
| from 1915 | Richard Bennett |
| in 1950 | Sold by W. E. Hill & Sons |
| from 1950 | Jascha Heifetz |
| until 1965 | Henry Hottinger |
| in 1965 | Rembert Wurlitzer Inc. |
| 1970-2000 | Cho-Ming Sin |
| from 2000 | Nippon Music Foundation |
Known players
Akiko Suwanai, Sidney Harth
Certificates & Documents
- Dendrochronology report: John C. Topham, Surrey Dating the youngest tree ring to 1704.
Cozio holds copies of many certificates and other documents, some of which are available to view on request. Please contact us if you wish to view a particular document. (Note that we do not always have permission to share documents.)
References
A Thousand Mornings of Music, Arnold Gingrich, Crown Publishers, New York (illustrated)- Antonio Stradivari: His Life & Work (1644-1737), W. Henry, Arthur F. & Alfred E. Hill, William E. Hill & Sons, London, 1902
- Henry Hottinger Collection (illustrated)
- Italian Violin Makers (1964), Karel Jalovec, Paul Hamlyn, London, 1964 (illustrated)
- Multi-purpose man on the run
Nippon Music Foundation Instrument Recipients- Nippon Music Foundation Instruments: Dolphin Stradivari
- Private Archives - 10746
- The 'Secrets' of Stradivari, Simone Fernando Sacconi, Eric Blot Edizioni, Cremona (illustrated)
- The Strad 2010 Calendar: Violin Heroes, Newsquest Specialist Media, London (illustrated)
- Violin Iconography of Antonio Stradivari 1644-1737, Herbert K. Goodkind, Larchmont, NY (illustrated)
- The Violin: Its Famous Makers and their Imitators, George Hart, Dulau & Co., London (illustrated)
- W. E. Hill & Sons Photographic Archive (illustrated)