Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1679, the 'Hellier'
Violin: 40237
Bearing its original internal label dated 1679
Back: One-piece of broad curl
Top: of fine grain, opening slightly toward the flanks
Scroll: of wood similar to back
Ribs: of wood similar to back, but of narrower curl
Length of back: 35.6 cm
Upper bouts: 16.95 cm
Middle bouts: 11.2 cm
Lower bouts: 21 cm
There are 16 additional images in the archive which are not available publicly. Please contact us for more information.
Notes:
"As regards the dimensions, it differs from any other violin seen by us dated before 1684-85; these proportions were, in fact, never at any later period exceeded. Thus we see that Stradivari was already contemplating that change of proportions to which he was more generally to give effect after 1685. The perfect symmetry of the head, and the position and admirable design and cutting of the "f" holes, are also in advance of any of his contemporaneous work known to us. On the other hand, the model, heavy edge and small purfling are thoroughly characteristic of his early work, and the whole presents a heaviness and solidity of construction such as we may almost venture to say borders on clumsiness. We may here incidentally remark that this violin shows that Stradivari occasionally enjoyed rich patronage previous to 1680, for he received no ordinary remuneration for the making of such an instrument."Antonio Stradivarius: His Life & Work, W. Henry, Arthur F. & Alfred E. Hill, W. Henry, Arthur F. & Alfred E. Hill, Antonio Stradivari: His Life & Work (1644-1737), London
The 'Hellier' and the instrument known as the Spanish Stradivari, dated 1679 and 1687 respectively, have backs of broad curl in one piece; the latter is exceptionally handsome, and both are of wood of foreign i.e. non-Italian, growth.
Antonio Stradivarius: His Life & Work, W. Henry, Arthur F. & Alfred E. Hill, W. Henry, Arthur F. & Alfred E. Hill, Antonio Stradivari: His Life & Work (1644-1737), London
Remarkable for its somewhat unusual large proportions and general heaviness of structure.
Antonio Stradivari and His Instruments, William Henley, William Henley, Antonio Stradivari and His Instruments, Sussex
One of 10 surviving inlaid instruments by Stradivari.
Capolavori di Antonio Stradivari, Charles Beare, Charles Beare, Capolavori di Antonio Stradivari, Milan
On loan to Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum 2004–2009.
Classy Visitors To Vienna Museum, The Strad, January, 2004, London
Instrument #85 in the South Kensington Special Exhibit of 1872.
Catalogue of the Special Exhibition at South Kensington, England, Carl Engel, Catalogue of the Special Exhibition at South Kensington, England, London
Instrument #1081 at the Special Loan Exhibition at Fishmongers Hall, London in 1904.
1904 Loan Exhibition at Fishmonger's Hall, Catalog for the Special Loan Exhibition of Musical Instruments, Manuscripts, Portraits and other Mementos, Fishmonger's Hall, London
On loan to the Museo del Violino in Cremona since 2009
Museo del Violino, Cremona, Friends of Stradivari
"It is possible to trace the history of the 'Hellier' back almost as far as Stradivari's famous workshop. In fact, several sources, including the Hills, endorse the account that the Englishman Sir Samuel Hellier of Wombourne–a passionate collector of musical instruments and books on music–had bought the instrument directly from Stradivari, in Cremona, in 1734. Apparently, in a letter to Sir Samuel, Stradivari himself referred to the price the gentleman paid for the instrument, the princely sum of £40. [...] the letter was unfortunately lost some time around the end of the 19th century." – Alessandra Barabaschi
Antonius Stradivarius (Volumes I-IV), Jost Thöne, Jan Röhrmann, Alessandra Barabaschi, Jost Thöne, Jan Röhrmann, Alessandra Barabaschi, Antonius Stradivarius (Volumes I-IV), Cologne
Offered for auction with Christie's London in July 2022 but did not sell.
Provenance
| Sir Edward Hellier | |
| from 1734 | Sir Samuel Hellier of Wombourne |
| in 1872 and until 1875 | Colonel Shaw-Hellier |
| 1875-1885 | George Crompton |
| 1885-1890 | Charles James Oldham |
| 1890-1910 | Colonel Shaw-Hellier |
| 1910-1912 | W. E. Hill & Sons |
| from 1912 | Hamma & Co. |
| until 1925 | Oscar Bondy |
| 1925-1932 | W. E. Hill & Sons |
| from 1932 | H. E. Morris |
| in 1957 | Rembert Wurlitzer Inc. |
| 1957-1965 | Henry Hottinger |
| 1965-1979 | Rembert Wurlitzer Inc. |
| from 1979 | Thomas M. Roberts |
| in 1993 | Alfredo Halegua |
| from 1998 | Current owner |
Certificates & Documents
Certificate: Machold Rare Violins, Ltd, Vienna (1998)- Certificate: W. E. Hill & Sons, London (1957)
Letter: W. E. Hill & Sons, London (1957)- Letter: Rembert Wurlitzer Inc., New York, NY (1957)
- Certificate: Rembert Wurlitzer Inc., New York, NY (1957)
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
- Catalog for the Special Loan Exhibition of Musical Instruments, Manuscripts, Portraits and other Mementos, Fishmonger's Hall, London
Triennale internazionale degli strumenti ad arco, Cremona (illustrated)- 36 Famous Italian Violins, Alex Wasinski, Herman Gordon, New York (illustrated)
- A Thousand Mornings of Music, Arnold Gingrich, Crown Publishers, New York (illustrated)
- The Strad, September, 1987, Roger Hargrave, London (illustrated)
- Antonio Stradivari and His Instruments, William Henley, Amati Publishing, Ltd., Sussex, 1961
- Antonio Stradivari: l'estetica sublime, Maurizio Villa, Consorzio Liutai Antonio Stradivari, Cremona (illustrated)
- Antonio Stradivari: His Life & Work (1644-1737), W. Henry, Arthur F. & Alfred E. Hill, William E. Hill & Sons, London, 1902
- Antonius Stradivarius (Balfoort), Dirk J. Balfoort, The Continental Book Company, Stockholm (illustrated)
- 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)
- Beautiful Italian Violins, Karel Jalovec, Paul Hamlyn, London, 1963 (illustrated)
- Berühmte Geigen und ihre Schicksale, P. J. Tonger, Cologne (illustrated)
- Capolavori di Antonio Stradivari, Charles Beare, Arnoldo Mondadori S.p.A., Milan (illustrated)
- Catalogue of the Special Exhibition at South Kensington, England, Carl Engel, South Kensington Museum, London
- The Strad, January, 2004, Newsquest Specialist Media, London
- Cremona in Seoul: 1962-1993, The Andrea Bang Hall of String & Natural Coating, Seoul (illustrated)
- Die Geigen und Lautenmacher vom Mitteralter bis zur Gegenwart, Willibald Freiherr von Lütgendorff, Frankfurter Verlags-Anstalt, Frankfurt am Main (illustrated)
- Journal of the Violin Society of America, Vol. IX, No. 2, Gary Sturm, The Queens College Press, Flushing, NY (illustrated)
- Antonius Stradivarius, Cremona 1679, Ex-Hellier, Amati, New York (illustrated)
- Journal of the Violin Society of America, Vol. V, No. 2, Gary Sturm, The Queens College Press, Flushing, NY (illustrated)
- Journal of the Violin Society of America, Vol. XVII, No. 2, Robert Bein, The Queens College Press, Flushing, NY (illustrated)
- Henry Hottinger Collection (illustrated)
- How Many Strads? (1999 edition), Doring, Bein & Fushi, Bein & Fushi, Chicago, 1999 (illustrated)
- Italian Violin Makers (1964), Karel Jalovec, Paul Hamlyn, London, 1964 (illustrated)
- Italienische Geigenbauer (1957), Karel Jalovec, Artia, Prague, 1957 (illustrated)
- La Casa Nuziale: The Home of Antonio Stradivari, 1667-1680, Arnaldo Baruzzi, W. E. Hill & Sons, London (illustrated)
- Meisterwerke Italienischer Geigenbaukunst, Fridolin Hamma, Hamma & Co., Stuttgart (illustrated)
Museo del Violino, Cremona, Friends of Stradivari- The Strad, December, 1987, John Dilworth, London (illustrated)
- The Strad, September, 1987, London (illustrated)
- Private Archives - 10746
- Private Archives - 10842
- Loan Exhibition of Stringed Instruments and Bows Commemorating the 70th Birthday of Simone Fernando Sacconi, Schuler Verlagsgesellschaft, Stuttgart (illustrated)
- Stradivari, Stewart Pollens, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2010 (illustrated)
- Stradivari Varnish: Scientific Analysis of his Finishing Technique on Selected Instruments, Brigitte Brandmair & Stefan-Peter Greiner (illustrated)
- The 'Secrets' of Stradivari, Simone Fernando Sacconi, Eric Blot Edizioni, Cremona (illustrated)
- The Classic Bowed Stringed Instruments from the Smithsonian Institution, Gakken Co., Tokyo (illustrated)
- The Henry Hottinger Collection, 1967 (illustrated)
- The Miracle Makers, Bein & Fushi, Chicago (illustrated)
- Violin Iconography of Antonio Stradivari 1644-1737, Herbert K. Goodkind, Larchmont, NY (illustrated)
- The Violin: Its physical and acoustic principles, Paolo Peterlongo, Paul Elek, London (illustrated)
- W. E. Hill & Sons Photographic Archive (illustrated)
- We Love Stradivari, NHK (illustrated)
- World of Strings, Fall, 1975, William Moennig & Son, Philadelphia (illustrated)