Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1725, the 'Wilhelmj'
Violin: 40060
Labeled, "Antonius Stradiuarius Cremonensis Faciebat Anno 1725."
Back: Two-piece of well-pronounced narrow curl descending from the joint
Top: of medium grain in the center of the treble side, opening out towards the flank, and more open grain in the center of the bass side, narrowing towards the flank
Scroll: of medium curl with traces of the original black edging
Ribs: of wood similar to back
Varnish: Red-brown
Length of back: 35.8 cm
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Notes:
This violin was named after the acclaimed German violinist August Wilhelmj (1845-1908) who owned and played it. His father who was a doctor of law and an amateur violinist purchased the violin in 1866 for his son. Among the many fine violins Wilhlemj owned, this Stradivari remained his favorite. It was in 1896, sometime after has ceased to play in public, when Wilhelmj decided to, as he said, “quit when at my best” and parted with the violin as young as in his early 50’s.Provenance
| until 1855 | Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume |
| 1855-1866 | Bochmühl |
| 1866-1896 | August Wilhelmj |
| ... | ... |
| from 1896 and in 1902 | Hugo Kupferschmidt |
| ... | ... |
| from 1920 | Rudolph Wurlitzer Co. |
| in 1925 | J. E. Greiner |
| ... | ... |
| in 1931 | Frank Miles Yount |
| ... | ... |
| 1938-1944 | Maulsby Kimball |
| in 1944 | Sold by Rudolph Wurlitzer Co. |
| 1944-1946 | Thomas L. Fawick |
| Henryk Kaston | |
| Wurlitzer | |
| Jerry Castellone | |
| until 1972 | George A. Gade |
| from 1972 | W. E. Hill & Sons |
| from 2001 | Nippon Music Foundation |
Known players
Angel Reyes, August Wilhelmj, Baiba Skride, Hugo Kupferschmidt, Shunsuke Sato
Certificates & Documents
Certificate: W. E. Hill & Sons, London (1972)- Certificate: Rembert Wurlitzer Inc., New York, NY (1970)
- Certificate: Rudolph Wurlitzer Co., New York, NY (1944)
- Certificate: W. E. Hill & Sons, London (1921)
Letter: W. E. Hill & Sons, London (1921)- Certificate: Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, Paris (1855)
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
- Antonio Stradivari: His Life & Work (1644-1737), W. Henry, Arthur F. & Alfred E. Hill, William E. Hill & Sons, London, 1902
Four Centuries of Violin Making: Fine Instruments from the Sotheby's Archive, Sotheby's, Sotheby's, Boston (illustrated)- How Many Strads? (1999 edition), Doring, Bein & Fushi, Bein & Fushi, Chicago, 1999 (illustrated)
Nippon Music Foundation: Wilhelmj Stradivari- Friedrich Brothers Rare Old Violins (1919), Ernest N. Doring, John Friedrich & Brothers, New York (illustrated)
- Friedrich Brothers Rare Old Violins - 1920 Catalog, John Friedrich & Brothers, New York (illustrated)
- Sotheby's Musical Instruments Auction Catalog, Part II, November 14, 1985, London, Sotheby's, Sotheby's, London (illustrated)
- The Jacques Français Rare Violins, Inc. Photographic Archive and Business Records, 1844-1998, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC (illustrated)
- Violin Iconography of Antonio Stradivari 1644-1737, Herbert K. Goodkind, Larchmont, NY (illustrated)
- W. E. Hill & Sons Photographic Archive (illustrated)
- The Strad, October, 1995, Orpheus, London (illustrated)