Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1708, the 'Empress Caterina'
Violin: 41340
Bearing its original label, "Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis, Faciebat Anno 1708."
Learn more about the instrument's history and provenance.
Back: in one piece of quarter cut maple with medium-width flame descending from the treble bouts.
Top: in two pieces of spruce with narrow-width grain broadening toward the edges.
Ribs: and head of similar wood.
Varnish: of a reddish golden orange-brown color.
Length of back: 35.5 cm
Upper bouts: 16.7 cm
Middle bouts: 10.75 cm
Lower bouts: 20.7 cm
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Provenance
| Czarina Elizabeth Petrovna | |
| Empress Caterina of Russia | |
| Adrian Moïsevitch Gribovsky | |
| Ernest-Andre Salzard | |
| Count Dewer | |
| M. M. Zohernoff | |
| Victor Michailavich Freloff | |
| until 1898 | Nicholas Frederich Kracht |
| in 1899 | Sold by W. E. Hill & Sons |
| 1899-1910 | Mrs Arthur Kendall Stothert |
| in 1910 | Sold by W. E. Hill & Sons |
| from 1910 | Henri Belville |
| in 1917 | Sold by Silvestre & Maucotel |
| in 1917 | Julio de Ygartua |
| from 1919 | Prosper Maurel |
| in 1921 | Sold by Caressa & Français |
| 1921-1945 | Professor Leo Guetta |
| 1945-1951 | Peggy Guetta Finzi |
| until 1952 | William Moennig & Son |
| 1953-1971 | Dr. Jacob Gershon-Cohen |
| 1971-1982 | Dr Herbert R. Axelrod |
| from 1982 | Anonymous |
| until 2023 | Anonymous |
| in 2023 | Sold by Tarisio |
| from 2023 | Current owner |
Certificates & Documents
Certificate: Tarisio, New York, NY (2023)- Certificate: William Moennig & Son, Philadelphia, PA (1952)
- Certificate: Rembert Wurlitzer Inc., New York, NY (1951)
- Certificate: Pierre Vidoudez, Geneva (1946)
- Certificate: Caressa & Français, Paris (1921)
- Certificate: Silvestre & Maucotel, Paris (1917)
- Dendrochronology report: Peter Ratcliff, London A dendrochronology examination dated the latest annual rings for the treble and bass sides of the top to 1700 and 1702 respectively. Significant cross matches were found with the 1713 ‘Rothschild-Kux’, 1719 ‘Rappoldi’, 1718 ‘Szekely’, 1715 ‘Alard’, 1714 ‘ex-Joachim’, 1712 ‘Hrimaly’, 1716 ‘Baron Wittgenstein’ and others. Printed report available for purchase upon request.
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
Antonius Stradivarius (Volumes I-IV), Jost Thöne, Jan Röhrmann, Alessandra Barabaschi, Jost Thöne Verlag, Cologne, 2010 (illustrated)- Evelyn & Herbert Axelrod Stringed Instrument Collection, Herbert Axelrod (illustrated)
- How Many Strads? (1999 edition), Doring, Bein & Fushi, Bein & Fushi, Chicago, 1999
- L'Esposizione di Liuteria Antica a Cremona nel 1937, Comitato Stradivariano, Cremona (illustrated)
- Private Archives - 10746
- Private Papers
- Caressa & Francais Notebook (c1900 - 1936), part of the Jacques Francais Collection at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC
- The Way They Play: Book 2, Samuel and Sada Applebaum, Paganinianana Publications, Neptune City, NJ (illustrated)