Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1703, the 'Ford'
Violin: 40257
Bearing its original label.
Back: Two-piece with broad curl extending upwards towards the edges
Top: of fine-grained spruced
Scroll: of wood similar to back
Ribs: of wood similar to back
Varnish: Brownish red
Length of back: 35.6 cm
Upper bouts: 16.7 cm
Middle bouts: 11.1 cm
Lower bouts: 20.8 cm
Provenance
| Sir William Curtis | |
| William Goding | |
| Reverend T. Cradock | |
| until 1867 | John Hart |
| 1867-1875 | George Haddock |
| 1875-1908 | T. S. Cooke |
| 1908-1915 | Reverend A. Willan |
| from 1915 | W. E. Hill & Sons |
| Caressa | |
| until 1917 | Rudolph Wurlitzer Co. |
| in 1917 | Edward Schafer |
| from 1917 | Elias Breeskin |
| from 1924 | Henry Ford |
| in 2003 | Henry Ford Museum |
Certificates & Documents
Certificate: W. E. Hill & Sons, London (1936)
Letter: W. E. Hill & Sons, London (1926)- Certificate: Rudolph Wurlitzer Co., New York, NY (1924)
- Certificate: Albert Caressa, Paris (1916) The certficate has caused some confusion in tracing the provenance of this instrument because Caressa wrote the words: "type splendide de ce luthier; ese violon de Rougemont", apparently confusing the instrument with another from 1703 [ID=478] that actually was owned by de Rougemont.
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
- How Many Strads? (1999 edition), Doring, Bein & Fushi, Bein & Fushi, Chicago, 1999
Masterpieces of the Great Violin Makers, Rudolph Wurlitzer Co., New York (illustrated)- Violins & Violinists, March-April, 1960, Victor Angelescu, William Lewis & Son, Chicago (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)