Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1711, the 'Duport'
Cello: 40274
Back: Two-piece
Length of back: 75.5 cm
Upper bouts: 34 cm
Middle bouts: 22.8 cm
Lower bouts: 43.6 cm
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Notes:
"Duport's position as Napoleon's favorite cellist almost resulted in disaster for his Stradivarius when the emperor appeared, booted and spurred, at a private recital in the Tuileries. As the French historian Antoine Vidal later recounted, 'He listened with pleasure and, as soon as the piece was over he approached Duport, complimented him, and, grasping the cello with his usual forcefulness, asked, "How the devil do you hold this, Monsieur Duport?" while, sitting down, he squeezed the unfortunate instrument between his spurred boots.' Some say the marks of the spurs can still be clearly seen in the sides of the cello."Stradivarius: Five Violins, One Cello and a Genius, Toby Faber, Stradivarius: Five Violins, One Cello and a Genius
Provenance
| until 1819 | Jean-Louis Duport |
| 1819-1842 | Louis Duport |
| 1842-1892 | August-Joseph Franchomme |
| in 1892 | Sold by W. E. Hill & Sons |
| from 1892 | Baron Johann Knoop |
| until 1906 | W. E. Hill & Sons |
| from 1906 | John S. Phipps |
| from 1927 | Horace Havemeyer |
| in 1968 | Sold by Rembert Wurlitzer Inc. |
| from 1968 | Gerald F. Warburg |
| 1974-2007 | Msistlav Rostropovich |
| from 2007 | Current owner |
Known players
Auguste-Joseph Franchomme, Jean-Louis Duport, Msistlav Rostropovich
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 (illustrated)
- Antonius Stradivarius (Balfoort), Dirk J. Balfoort, The Continental Book Company, Stockholm (illustrated)
- Encyclopedia of Violin-Makers, Volume 2, Karel Jalovec, Paul Hamlyn Ltd., London (illustrated)
- The Strad, October, 1997, Samuel Zygmuntowicz, Orpheus, London (illustrated)
- The Strad, February, 2005, Carlo Chiesa, Newsquest Specialist Media, London (illustrated)
- How Many Strads? (1999 edition), Doring, Bein & Fushi, Bein & Fushi, Chicago, 1999 (illustrated)
- I violoncelli di Antonio Stradivari, Bruce Carlson, Conzorzio Liutai Antonio Stradivari, Cremona (illustrated)
- Italian Violin Makers (1964), Karel Jalovec, Paul Hamlyn, London, 1964 (illustrated)
- Private Archives - 10842
- Stradivari Pictures
- Stradivarius: Five Violins, One Cello and a Genius, Toby Faber, Macmillan
- The 'Secrets' of Stradivari, Simone Fernando Sacconi, Eric Blot Edizioni, Cremona (illustrated)
- Violin Iconography of Antonio Stradivari 1644-1737, Herbert K. Goodkind, Larchmont, NY (illustrated)
- W. E. Hill & Sons Photographic Archive (illustrated)
A Thousand Mornings of Music, Arnold Gingrich, Crown Publishers, New York (illustrated)
