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 (photocopy)
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