Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1697, the 'Molitor'
Violin: 22161
Labeled, "Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis / Faciebat Anno 1697"; branded to the lower rib, "Curtis Phila."
Back: One-piece cut on the slab
Top: of narrow to medium grain
Scroll: of medium curl
Ribs: of medium curl
Varnish: Golden
Length of back: 35.5 cm
Upper bouts: 16.1 cm
Middle bouts: 10.9 cm
Lower bouts: 20.1 cm
There are 12 additional images in the archive which are not available publicly. Please contact us for more information.
Provenance
| until 1804 | Madame Juliette Récamier |
| from 1804 | Count Gabriel-Jean-Joseph Molitor |
| until 1917 | Caressa & Français |
| from 1917 | J. Mazeran |
| from 1923 | Maucotel & Deschamps |
| until 1929 | Charles Enel & Chardon |
| 1929 - 1936 | Curtis Institute in Philadelphia |
| from 1936 | W. E. Hill & Sons |
| - | Robert Augustus Bower |
| until 1957 | E. R. Voigt |
| from 1957 | Muriel Anderson |
| in 1989 | Sold by Christie's |
| in 1989 | Sold by Christie's |
| 1989 - 1994 | Elmar Oliveira |
| 1994 - 2010 | Albert Stern |
| in 2010 | Sold by Tarisio |
| from 2010 | Current owner |
Known players
Albert Stern, Anne Akiko Meyers, Elmar Oliveira
Certificates & Documents
Certificate: E. R. Voigt & Son, London (1957)- Certificate: W. E. Hill & Sons, London (1937)
Letter: Alfred E. Hill, London (1937)- Certificate: Charles Enel, Paris (1929) Missing.
- Certificate: Silvestre & Maucotel, Paris (1923) Missing.
- Certificate: Emil Herrmann, New York (photocopy), New York, NY
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
The Strad, December, 2010, Philip J. Kass, Newsquest Specialist Media, London (illustrated)- The Strad, August, 2004, Shirley Apthorp, Newsquest Specialist Media, London
- Christie's Musical Instruments Auction Catalog, March 31, 1989, London, Christie's, Christie's, London (illustrated)
- RDA Music
- Tarisio Fine Musical Instruments Auction Catalog, October 13-14, 2010, New York, Tarisio, Tarisio, New York (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)
The ‘Molitor’ Stradivarius, Cremona, 1697, Cozio Carteggio feature- W. E. Hill & Sons Photographic Archive (illustrated)
- ‘Molitor’ Stradivarius of 1697: news release, October 2010