Andrea Amati, Cremona, 1574, the 'Corbett, Bowles, Hill'
Small Violin: 40031
Bearing a manuscript label, "Andreæ Amati in / Cremonæ MDLXXII."
Back: Two-piece maple, with an irregular horizontal curl
Top: one-piece of spruce, wide-grained in the center and narrowing towards the edges
Scroll: of wood similar to back
Ribs: of wood similar to back; the one=piece lower rib is marked with number "90" and the letters "WC"
Varnish: Golden
Length of back: 34.3 cm
Upper bouts: 15.9 cm
Middle bouts: 11 cm
Lower bouts: 19.6 cm
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Notes:
This small pattern violin was produced near the end of Andrea Amati's life, and likely has a significant amount of his son Antonio's handwork. Compared to earlier Amati instruments, the f-holes are more nuanced. The instrument is one of the best preserved violins of the period, with no evidence of regraduation of the interior. It also has its original neck, reangled at the heel.Provenance
| William Corbett | |
| until 1805 | William Marshall |
| from 1805 | Mr. Bowles |
| in 1899 | Hester S. Bowles |
| ... | ... |
| from 1917 | W. E. Hill & Sons |
| Richard Bennett | |
| until 1991 | W. E. Hill & Sons |
| in 1991 | Sold by Phillip's |
| from 1991 | Shrine to Music, National Music Museum, South Dakota |
References
The Strad 1993 Calendar, Orpheus Publications, London (illustrated)- The Strad 1997 Calendar, Orpheus Publications, London (illustrated)
- A Genealogy of the Amati Family of Violin Makers: 1500-1740, Daniel Draley, The Maecenas Press, Iowa City (illustrated)
- Andrea Amati Opera omnia: Les Violons du Roi, Fausto Cacciatori, editor, Consorzo Liutai Antonio Stradivari, Cremona (illustrated)
- Andrea Amati violin; Shrine to Music Museum (illustrated)
- Capolavori di Andrea Amati, Charles Beare, Bruce Carlson & Andrea Mosconi, Ente Triennale Internazionale Degli Strumenti, Cremona (illustrated)
- Gasparo da Salò, A. M. Mucchi, Editore Ulrico Hoepli, Milan (illustrated)
- Luthiers Library (illustrated)
- Meisterwerke Italienischer Geigenbaukunst, Fridolin Hamma, Hamma & Co., Stuttgart (illustrated)
- Phillip's Important Musical Instruments Auction Catalog, November 21, 1991, London, Phillip's, Phillip's, London (illustrated)
- Journal of the Violin Society of America, Vol. IX, No. 3, Daniel Draley, The Queens College Press, Flushing, NY (illustrated)
- Journal of the Violin Society of America, Vol. VIII, No. 3, Margaret Downie Banks, The Queens College Press, Flushing, NY (illustrated)
- W. E. Hill & Sons Photographic Archive (illustrated)