Jacob Stainer, Absam, 1668
Violin: 40016
Bearing its original label handwritten: "Jacobus Stainer in Absom / propè Oenipontum m.pia 1668."
Back: Two-piece with prominent, somewhat irregular flaming descending from the joint
Top: of fine grain in the center, opening out towards the flanks
Scroll: of wood similar to back
Ribs: of wood similar to back
Varnish: Golden-brown
Length of back: 35.6 cm
Upper bouts: 16.6 cm
Middle bouts: 10.8 cm
Lower bouts: 20.4 cm
There are 7 additional images in the archive which are not available publicly. Please contact us for more information.
Notes:
One of just two known Stainer instruments still in their original form.Jacob Stainer, Rudolf Hopfner, Jacob Stainer "… kayserlicher diener und geigenmacher zu Absom", Vienna
"The instrument retains not only the original neck but it appears no attempt at all has ever been made at all to convert it to modern playing specification. The bass bar fitted is extremely short and small and speculation that is the original is not unreasonable."
Sotheby's Bloomfield Collection Auction Catalog, November 23, 1988, London, Sotheby's, Sotheby's Bloomfield Collection Auction Catalog, November 23, 1988, London, London
According to letter from Andrew Hill to Sam Bloomfield (April 5, 1979), the violin was made by Stainer for a convent in Munich where it remained until late 19th century, when it was shown to Hamma in Stuttgart.
Provenance
| until 1935 | Hamma & Co. |
| 1935-1978 | W. E. Hill & Sons |
| 1978-1979 | Sam Bloomfield |
| 1979-1988 | Sam and Rie Bloomfield Foundation |
| in 1988 | Sold by Sotheby's |
| from 1988 | Shrine to Music, National Music Museum, South Dakota |
Certificates & Documents
- Dendrochronology report: Micha Beuting & Peter Klein (2003) Dating the youngest tree ring to from 1584.
Letter: W. E. Hill & Sons, London (1979) Gives history of instrument, suggesting that it may have been purchased directly from Stainer by a convent in Munich, where it remained until Hamma discovered it in the 1930s.
Certificate: W. E. Hill & Sons, London (1978)
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 1993 Calendar, Orpheus Publications, London (illustrated)- The Strad 1999 Calendar, Orpheus Publications, London (illustrated)
- Four Centuries of Violin Making: Fine Instruments from the Sotheby's Archive, Sotheby's, Sotheby's, Boston (illustrated)
- Jacob Stainer "… kayserlicher diener und geigenmacher zu Absom", Rudolf Hopfner, Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna (illustrated)
- Jakob Stainer: Leben und Werk des Tiroler Meisters, Walter Senn & Karl Roy, Verlag E. Bochinsky, Frankfurt (illustrated)
- Luthiers Library (illustrated)
- Sotheby's Bloomfield Collection Auction Catalog, November 23, 1988, London, Sotheby's, Sotheby's, London (illustrated)
- Sotheby's Photo Archive
- The Strad, July, 2003, Newsquest Specialist Media, London (illustrated)
Stainer violin, 1668, Shrine to Music Museum- The Strad, August, 1973, London (illustrated)
- The Violin Book, Bafalon, London (illustrated)